Report Of Tours In The Central Doab And Gorakhpur Vol.xii

PLATES.

I —Map of Gangctic Doab around Indor Khera.

II. — Map of Sankara.

III. — Sambhal — Plan of Jami Masjid.

IV. — Do. Elevation of do.

V. — Ahar — Plan of AmbiUeswara Temple.

VI. — Indor Khera — Ruins on Kundanpur Mound,

VII. — Do. Pieces of Ancient Pot ter j'.

VIII. — Map of country between Ayodhj'a and Gorakhpur.

IX. — Bhuila Tal, or Kapilavastu — Map of country.

X. — Do. Map of Site.

XI. — Do. Ruins on Mound.

XII. — Do. Pieces of Pottery.

XIII. — Nagra-Dih, the birth-place of Krakuchanda,

XIV. — Koron-dih.

J^vchTtologkjil gnvbti) of Jnbirt.

REPORT

OF

TOURS IN THE CENTRAL DOAB AND GORAKHPUR

IN'

1874-75 AND 1875-76.

BY

ACL CARLLEYLE,

FIRST ASSISTA^T, ARCHAEOLOGICAL SURVEY,

UNDER THE SUPERINTENDENCE OF

MAjoR-GnNERAL A. CUNNINGHAM, C S I, C I E,

DIRECTOR-GENERAL OF THE ARCHiEOtOGICAL SUR\EY OP INDIA.

VOLUME XII

" What IS aimed at is an accurate description, illustrated b) plans, measurements, drawings or photographs and
bf copies of Inscriptions of such remains as most deserve notice, with the history of them so far as It may be
traceable, and a record of the traditions that are preserved regarding them “—Loro Cs vniho

" What the learned would demand of us in India Is to be quite certain of our data, to place the monumental
record before them exactly as It now exists, and to interpret itfaithfuEy and literally ’’ — JsMrs Fbivsef.

CALCUTTA:

OFFICE OF THE SUPERINTENDENT OF GOVERNMENT PRINTING,

REPORT OF TOURS IN THE

50 ,

part of the front of the fore-head there is a circular,
wheel-shaped, rosette, and from this rosette a band pro-
ceeds backwards over the top of the head. The features
of the face are very regular, and the eyes have a slight
Yuranian slant. I am very much inclined to think that this
head may have belonged to a figure executed in bold relief,
on a Buddhist railing pillar, made of red burnt cky, or terra-
cotta, as, for want of stone, and with plenty of stiff adhesive
clay on the spot, it would be very easy to mould either a
short four-sided pillar, or a bas-relief, out of clay; and, from
the fact of my having found numerous fragments of orna-
mentally-moulded bricks, as well as a terra-cotta figure of
Maya devi (the mother of Buddha), I think it is very probable
that there may have been some kind of Buddhist shrine or
small stupa, at Indor, built of brick, and ornamented with
figures and bas reliefs in terra-cotta. I have already men-
tioned that I found Buddhist symbols even on a piece of
pottery as well as on a broken terra-cotta figure of an animal.

The broken figure of an animal in terra-cotta, on which
there are circular symbols stamped, as above referred to, is
3I inches in length, but the head and legs are broken off.
There are two circular symbols stamped on the shoulders,
which bear a near resemblance to the symbol which appears
on the reverse of the ancient punch-marked coins found on
the site of the ancient city of Taxila, to the north of the
Panjab, and a nearly similar symbol may be found in Plate X,
Figure D, of General Cunningham’s illustrations of Mathura
antiquities, in Volume III of the Reports of the Archaeological
Survey, only that, in the symbols on the shoulders of the
tei'ra-cotta figure found by me at Indor, there are seven
ornamental semi-circles surrounding the centre, instead of
only four, as in General Cunningham’s figure. There are also
two circular symbols stamped on the haunches of the figure,
each of which contains a cross, the angles of which are filled
up with dots.

• The remaining relics in terra-cotta may shortly be enumer-
ated as follows : A figure of an elephant with a man riding on it.
Several small human figures, and also small figures of various
animals, more especially of the bull Nandi, and also a
black terra-cotta figure of a parrot. Also a square-based,
pyramidal-shaped stamp, for stamping cloth, the device on
the base being composed simply of small squares. Lastly,
'I obtained a cubical clay die (one of a pair of dice) with the
spots rudely marked on it, and also several circular, or dice-

CALCUTTA :

PRINTED BY THE SUPERINTENDENT OF GOVERNMENT PRINTING,
8, HASTINGS STREET.

INTRODUCTION,

TN the present volume Mr. Caxlleyle has described the re-
suits of hvo years’ tours in the central portion of the Gan-
getic Doab, and in the Gorakhpur district, in both of which
he made some important and very interesting discoveries.
In the Doab he examined the great mound of Indor Khera,
8 miles to the south -south -west of Anupshahr on the Ganges,
where he found a copper-plate inscription of the great King
Skanda Gupta, dated in the year 146 of the Gupta era. He
was fortunate also in discovering the curious old fort of San-
kara on the Budh GangcL, and other places in the same neigh-
bourhood, which seem to be well worth excavation.

But Mr. Carlleyle’s most valuable work was the discovery
of the site of the famous town of Kapilavastu, the birth-place
of S^kya Buddha, which was for many centuries the most
venerated of all the holy places of Buddhism. At the present
day it is only^an insignificant village, but its lake is still there,
as well as the little river Rowai or Rohini, and numerous old
sites, some of whose names still remain unchanged. ^to attest
the correctness of the identification of the old city. Of these
the most prominent are the Sar-kiita^ or “ Arrow well,” and
the Hdthi-gadhe or “ Elephant Pit.” The former is the Sara-
kitpa of Sanskrit, or the “ Arrow spring,” which marks the
spot where Prince Siddh^rtha’s arrows fell, when he was con-
tending in archery with his kinsmen and the neighbouring
Princes. The latter is the Hasti-gartta of Sanskrit, or the
Elephant Hole,” where the elephant, which was killed by

IV

INTRODUCTION.

Devadatta to obstruct the road into the city, was pitched by
Prince Siddh^rtha.

Both of these spots are mentioned by the Chinese pilgrim
Hwen Thsang under the same names, SdTd'kupa- (Source
de lapleche) and Hasti-gartia [la Fosse de TElephant], which
have remained unchanged to the present day.

Shortly after Mr. Carlleyle’s discovery I visited Bhuila
T^l myself, and examined many of the localities mentioned
in this Report. I saw the Siir-hi'ia, or " Arrow well,” the
Hdthi-gadhe, or “ Elephant Pit; ” the A?m^/?«-garden where
Prince Siddhdrtha was born, and the site of Koli, the birth-
place of MAy 4 Devi, the Prince’s mother. I also paid a visit
to Koron-dih, the supposed site of Rfi,ma-grAma^ and to other
places in the neighbourhood. The result of my examination
was the most perfect conviction of the accuracy of Mr.
Carlleyle’s identification of Bhuila TM with the site of Kapila-
vastu, the famous birth-place of S 4 kya Muni.

I am also satisfied that the sites of the birth-places of the
two previous Buddhas, Kraku-chanda and Kanaka, have been
correctly identified.

At p. 26 the text of an inscription on the J4mi Masjid at
Sambhal is given without any translation. I have since found
the following rendering by Blochmann (see Bengal Asiatic
Society’s Journal,) Proceedings for May 1873, P- 9 ^‘

"i. The collector of buildings of grace and beauty, the raiser
of the standards of rule and faith.

2. The spreader of the wings of peace and tranquillity, the

builder of the buildings of knowledge and deed.

3. Muhammad Babar, Jam in dignity, may God Almighty have

him in His keeping !

4. Kindled in India the lamp of power, when a ray of it fell upon

Sambhal.

5. To build this mosque, may it be protected against destruction

and decay.

6; He gave orders to his mean slave, who is one. of his principal
officers

INTRODUCTION.

V

7. Mir Hindu Beg, the intelligent and wise, \\ho is an example

to others in polite manners.

8. And when, in consequence of the order of the sovereign of

the world; by the guidance of Providence, the mosque was
completed.

9. Its date^was " the first day of the month of Rabi’' I (A.H.

933j or 6th December 1526 A D.)

A. CUNNINGHAM.

CONTENTS

Introduction

lit

LAlthanu or Lalthno

1

Tuks&n . . . •

2

Goh&na Khera

3

Bftjera Khera

7

Sahegarh Khera & Nagana Khera

9

Qasbah Jalali and Nilanti •

12

S&nkara . < . •

IS

Sambhal . * • *

24

Ah&r

27

Indor, or Indrapura

36

„ Kundanpura mound .

67

j, Sci^lurcs from '\ell

in

TWipIe ,

72

’ ,, Ahtrpura mound

79

„ VaidyOpura mound .

80

Bhuila and Kaptlavastu «

82

rvr*

Nagar Kbds . .

83

Site of ICapilavastu ,

Bhuila .....

112

Bhuila Dth, ....

t 42

Identification of \anous sites .

157

Site of massacre of Sakyas

172

Site — shadow of tree stood still .

I7S

Birth-place of Krakuchanda

177

KhemrAjpur,or Ksheraavati

182

Birth-place of Kanaka Mum ,

184

Sara.Kupa, or ** Arrow m eU *’ ,

187

River of Oil, and Lumbmt
Garden

789

Koli, or V^aghrapura

211

RAmagrama ....

2*5

Mane> a

223

ARCHEOLOGICAL SURVEY OF INDIA.

REPORT OF TOURS IN THE CENTRAL DOAB AND GORAKPUR
IN 1874-76 i. 1875-76.

I.— lAkhanO, or‘lAkhn6.

Ldkhanu^ or LdkhiiOy is a very ancient place, situated
about 6 miles to the south-east of Hcltras, and about ii
miles to the north-west of Jalesar.

Ldkhanu is one of the most curious, queerly antiquated-
looking, compactly boxed up, little old places, that I have
ever seen. It is, in fact, in two separate square portions, one
larger than the other, which are like two high square boxes
of hard yellow clay, planted on the ground, and with houses
on their tops, half hidden within a raised upper rim. In other
words, the small old town of Ldkhand consists of two
separate parts, namely, l, the old town proper, situated
on a square-shaped artificial elevation, surrounded by hard
clay walls, with round clay bastions at the corners, inclosing
an elevated square area, filled with houses, which are inha-
bited by the cultivators, banyas, and commoner people; and
2 , a second, lesser elevated, square, straight-sided, inclosure,
also surrounded by high clay walls, but without any bastions,
which contains the conspicuous red-coloured, brick, and white-
topped, palatial residence of the zamindar (called “ Raja”)
of the place, and his family, and the houses of his servants
and attendants. This second elevated inclosure is situated
about a quarter of a mile to the north of the former.

Several ancient Buddhist sculptures and other remains
were found at LAkhanu, some of which, 1 believe, were taken
to Aligarh. I was informed by some of the people of the place,
on the spotj that most of the sculptures referred to were
obtained from a or mound, which is situated about a

quarter of a mile to the west of the town of L^khand/ This
mound is nearly circular at base and of a sort of low conical
or dome shape. It measured about lOo feet across from
VOL. XII

i

2

report of tours in the

north to south; and about 8o feet across from cast to west.

I should judge this mound to be probably the renuuns of

some Buddhist stupa. . , t t

There is another lower, somewhat^ triangular-shaped,
flat-topped mound, situated about one-third of a mile to the
south-west from the town of L^khanil. A road cuts this
mound on the north side. The mound measured abeut
1^0 feet across, at its greatest length, from east lowest;
while it measured only about 70 feet across from south to
north, where the road cuts it. I do not know whether any
excavations have ever been made in it.

Under a tree, near the previously-mentioned circular,
round-topped mound, I saw a large statue of Ganesha lying,
and also some other sculptured stones.

In an old filled up well to the north-west from the town,
I saw the sculptured capital of a square pillar. There was
also another fragment of sculpture built into the masonry of
the side of the old well.

I found nothing more could be done at Ldkhanu unless
excavations were made, but which I was not then prepared
to undertake. I think, however, that it is possible that well-
conducted excavations might bring some further antiquities
to light.

2.— tuksAn.

Tuksdn is situated about 5 miles to the mrth-rcest from
Hdtras. It consists of an ancient khcra, a village, and a
mud fort built by the JMs. The old kJicra is situated one
quarter of a mile to the south-south-east of the village. It
is a large circular, dome-shaped mound, which has a square,
flat depression on its summit. It measured 600 feet across
from north to south, and 519 feet from east to west. Its
height at the highest central part, above the level of the
surrounding-fields, I found to be one-fifth of its mean breadth.
It IS the remains of an ancient place, which is said to have
been founded by the ^\PorcJih/' or Paurchh,^' tribe of
Rajputs. The mound is entirely composed of bricks, mixed
with pottery and bones, and other remains. This mound
would be well worthy of excavation. There are the ruined
remains of a square mud fort close to the north side of the
village, which was constructed by the Tenua J^dfs, after
- Bharatpur. The village now belongs to Raja Tikam Singh,
who resides at Mursdn, and who is a Tenua Tat Chief.' The
village IS small, and is now chiefly inhabited by Teuua Jdts

CENTRAL DOAB AND GORAKPUR IN 1874-75 ^ 1875-76. 3

There is a very large mud fort, in a ruinous state, at
Sdsm, ^vhich ^Yas constructed by the JAts.

On the edge of the rampart, on the north side, near the
traces of a former entrance gateway, there is lying an
enormous, solid, flat, octagonal-shaped mass of masonry,
which measured 35 feet across.

There is also a very old-looking village, called “ Rehna^'
situated on a large, high, artificial mound, half-way between
Tuksdn and Sdsni.

3.— gohAna KHERA.

GoJidna is situated a short distance to the east of Sdsni,
which is on the road between Hdtras and Koel.

The railway passes about 3 miles, or a little more, to the
-east of the fort of Sdsni ; and the road from Sdsni to Akrabdd
crosses the railway line. About half a mile to the north of
the crossing, there is the village of “ Gohdna ” on the right
or east side of the railway line, arid about half a mile further
up the line, on the left or west side, there is the ancient
khem of “ Gohdna^' which is a large and conspicuous
mound. The settlement, of whatever kind, which once
occupied the mound, or khcra^ is said to have been founded
by Brahmans^ or priests, of some kind ; but, from certain
traces which I discovered, it became evident to me that the
original founders of the old place must have been Buddhists ;
for I found the head of a Buddhist statue with the charac-
teristic Buddhist head-dress (in red sand-stone) ; and also
some broken bririaB, vrirhc'n, Irom one oi Vnrirr ^6es being
curved and from their wedge shape, must have belonged to
some circular building, such as a Buddhist stdpa. The
curved side pf the brick, which must have been the outer
face, I found to be 1 foot In width, and the thickness of the
brick 3^ inches ; but only 9 inches of the length remained
of the most perfect brick 1 found. At the broken end of the
brick it was 10 inches in breadth, so that it had decreased in
size 2 inches in a space of 9 inches.^ I judged that these
bricks must have been originally about 1 foot 6 inches in
length when perfect.

The original priestly founders of Gohdna were succeeded
in time by Rajputs of the " Bhdl Badt ” Thakur tribe, who
were either Suryavansis or Sotankis. A poor descendant

‘Ihc^e measurements ^^oulc^ gi\c ji cjrcic of onl> 9 feet in diameter for the
stiipi — vf Ciwnwghrtm

report of tours in the

4

of these Rajas, now living in the village of Cohdna me

the following short account of the early history of tlic iJluu
Badi Rajputs.

He said that many hundred years ago there v/erc three
brothers, who came from somewhere far north-west^ and who
founded three kingdoms : one to the west, near Khitrja, m
the' neighbourhood of Delhi; another at Gohdita and a
third in Bais-ivara ; and he added that in the central king-
dom alone, of which' Gohdna was the capital, they had no
less than 37 towns, or fortresses, which are now repre.s'ented
by so many khcvcis. But by the spoliation of tin; Juis, and
-by various unfortunate lawsuits, the Gohdna family had lost
all their property, except a few acres, and a few miserable
houses in the village. The present descendant and represen-
tative of the Gohdna Rajas is an old man and very poor ;
and I found him dressed in the same scanty and coarse
homely clothing as the commonest labourer working in the
fields. He had, however, the features and general physiog-
nomy of a thorough of good blood. The name of this

present representative of the family is Lch RdJ and his
father’s name was “ SaiRdm Thdhur B}idlR Lck Rdj further
informed me that the old village of Gohdna, on the east side
of the railway line, was always inhabited by the commoner
people and cultivators ; while the residence of the Rajas was
on the ancient khera mound to the west side of the railway
line.

There are. the remains of a small mud fort, or Garhi, at
the village close to the railway line.

The ancient khera mound of Go1idna\s7i.X\\\\c. overaquar*
ter of a mile distant from the railway line, and to the west
side of it. There is a small hamlet, composed of a few mud
huts, at the foot of the slope of the east side of the khera
mound, which, with the mound, is called “ Piirdna GohdnaR
Near the edge of the mound, and in front of the houses above
, mentioned, I found the site of a very ancient temple, which
had been entirely destroyed by the railwa)'’ people, who pulled
down the temple, and took away all its bricks and stones for
the use of the railway at the time when the line rvas being
constructed. But as the temple was a long way off from the
railway Ime, and was still used by the people as a place of
worship, its destruction by the railway people was totally inex-
cusable, and was simply an act of wanton destruction. But
not only that, for it appeared that there w^ere also, at that
time, still some ancient buildings standing on the top of the

CENTRAL DOAB AND GORAKPUR IN 1874-75 & 1875-76, 5

mound, which the railway people also pulled down, and they
dug out even the very foundations of them, and took aw’ay all
the bricks for the use of the railway. Thus, one of the very
ancient sites in India may be said to have been entirely
rooted out and obliterated by railway contractors I Such
vandalism ought surely to be’ checked in some way j or at
least some kind of bound should be set to the vagaries
of railway contractors, and certain defined limits beyond
which their unprincipled acts should not be allowed to trans-
gress or trespass. 1 ascertained from the people of the
place that the foundation of the old temple, which was des-
troyed by the railway people, was composed of blocks of
kankar, while the body and superstructure of the temple
were built of large bricks. The “ Kalsa ” of the Sikar of the
temple was formed of kankar ; and I found the pinnacle of
the Kalsa lying on the ground. I also found one of the
actual bricks of the old temple sticking in the ground and in
a pretty nearly perfect condition, besides several other small
fragments of the same kind of bricks. Judging by the dimen-
sions of the single nearly perfect brick, the bricks of which
the temple was built must have been about i foot 4 inches
in length, by about 8 to 9 inches in nndth, and upwards of 3
inches in thickness. A stone Ltngam, which had belonged
to the temple in its latter days, is standing upright in the
earth on the bare site. But the most interesting of the very
few remnants which I found on the site of the old temple,
were two fragments of ancient sculpture in red sandstone.
One of these consisted of the base, or rather the lower por-
of a statue of an erect human hgnre, whmh retained only
the lower parts of the legs ; but it appeared evident to me,
from certain characteristics observable about much which
remained, that it must originally have belonged to a standing
figure of Bitddha^ about one-third of life size. The other
sculpture consisted of a very perfect head only of a Bud^
dhist statue, of a male figure, with the characteristic Buddhist
head-dress, like that which occurs so frequently on the heads
of statues, and of figures in bas-reliefs, of male individual in the
Buddhist sculptures found at Mathura. The head which I
found at Gohdna was about one-half of life size. I would have
liked very much to have taken this head away with me ; but I
found that the people ol the place worshipped it, along with
the other fragment of sculpture, as their tutelary divinity,
under the name of “ Gohdna '' which might be interpreted,
in a /^^«^/(p-Roman-Catholic sort of sense, as “ Our Lady of

6

REPORT OF TOURS IN THE

' Gohdna P' I therefore left the head lying where it was, along
with the other fragment of sculpture. But I told the people
that I hoped they would take great care of these two inter-
esting remnants of sculpture, which they had constituted their
tutelary divinity, as I assured them they were very ancient,
perhaps as old as the khera mound of Gohdna itself, i he
fact is that the people evidently thought that the two separate
fragments of sculpture (which in reality represented the head
and the legs of two entirely distinct statues differing in size)
had belonged to one single figure of some female divinity. It
was utterly useless, and of no avail w^hatever, to attempt to
explain to the people that the ‘‘ head ” was that of a Bud-
dhist male figure, while the “ legs ” had most probably be-
longed to a smaller statue of Buddha himself ; for they had
never even heard of the existence of Buddhists at all, and
they were as totally ignorant of what Buddhism meanly as
they were of Calvinism or of Quakerism.

I could not find any inscription either about the khera
or the site of the old temple of Purdna Gohdna^ as all the avail-
able stones had been taken away by the railway people, but
on a very small piece of red sandstone (e\’idently a fragment
of a prepared slab of some kind) I found the remains of just
two letters of a decidedly ancient type, which must once have
formed part of an inscription.

I made measurements of the great mound of Gohdna
Khera^^ and found that it was almost exactly 630 feet across
from side to side. It measured 628 feet across from north
to south, and a little over 630 feet from east to west.

I calculated the perpendicular height of the summit of the
mound to be about 40 feet above the level of the surround-
ing fields. This would give a horizontal diameter at base
of about 620 feet, and a circumference of over i ,900 feet.
There is a modern square mud -wall enclosure on the sum-
mit of the mound, which the people appeared to use for
penning up their yattle in at night. Within this enclosure
I found the remains of a second small mound, which thus
surmounts the great mound like a sort of crest or peak. It
m m this small upper mound that most of the wedge-shaped
bricks, with outer face of the broad end convexly curv^ed,
found, and from which I obtained the broken brick
which 1 brought away as a specimen : although I was told
that bricks of the same shape were also dug out of other
parts of the great mound. I believe the small upper mound
on t e top to be most probably the remnant of a small

CENTRAL DO AD AND GORAKPUR IN 1874-7S & 1875-75. »7

Buddhist and I think, moreover, that the great

mound itself, if it were excavated, would probably be found
to contain, in its interior, the remains of an ancient Bud-
dhist siitpa of veiy large dimensions. And, as it is an ascer-
tained fact that smaller stilpas have been built on the ruins
of larger ones, I shall be justified in suggesting that the
remains of a little mound on the top of the great mound of
Gohdna Khera may very possibly represent the remnant of
a later smaller stxlpa^ built on the ruins of a more ancient
stiipa of very great size. It would also appear, from the result
of certain information which I obtained, that other buildings
were long aftenvards erected on the mound by the Bhdl
Badi Rajputs j and that they made use of the ancient bricks,
which they found lying ready to hand, as their materials.
But all remains of such buildings were totally destroyed and
removed by the railway people.

Lck Raj y the Thaknvy assured me that the whole mound
was full of old bricks, of large size, which could always be
obtained by digging.

4.~bajera khera.

About 4 miles to the west of Akrabad, on the south side
of the Koel road, about miles to the west of the great
bridge over the Ganges Canal, there are two small villages
close together, or rather two groups of houses which form
simply two parts of one village, one of which is called
Khera, and the other “ BajeraJ*

But the two villages together, in fact, are known under
♦bft. namfL 'if. “ ' VAorrii ‘/b mhai-

bited by Brahmans ; while Bajera is inhabited by cultivators,
a few Thahnrs or Rajputs of the Purir tribe, and Banyas.

About 330 feet to the west from the village of Bajera, and
about 920 feet to the south-west from the Koel and Akrabad
road, there is a large, bare khera mound of moderate eleva-
tion, which is the deserted site of an ancient town, or settle-
ment of some kind. The khera mound is full of broken
bricks and old pottery. I made a survey of the khera, and
found its dimensions, or extent, to be 760 feet from north
to south, by 800 feet from east to west. The greatest
elevation of the khera, at the highest point, about the
centre, is, I should say, about 35 feet above the level of the
surrounding fields.

On the top of the khera there is a slightly. elevated,
rectangular-shaped area, of which the north-western corner is

8 - REPORT OF TOURS IN THE . , '

exactly on the centre of the hhera mound, and which is coin-
posed of the brick foundations of some former building, which
has been totally razed and destroyed. This rectangular area
measured about 135 feet in length from north -north-^\ est to
south-south-east, and 72 feet across the other way. ^ ^ ^

On the northern edge of the great mera^ and adjoining
it, there is a small, somewhat circular-shaped, round-topped
mound, which measured about 112 feet across from north
to south, by 107 feet from east to west. I made an excava-
tion right across the centre of the mound, and came ufion the
foundations of an ancient building, composed of large bricks, at
a depth of about 3 feet beneath the surface. ^ The form of this
' - foundation wall was something like an irregular, comma-
shaped, half-moon, with a broad head towards the north,
which measured 5 feet 10 inches across, and with a
narrow tail end towards the south, which measured only from

1 foot to I foot 9 inches, and 2 feet, across, and an angular
projection, near the middle, inwardly, on the west side (giving
the curved wall the form of a badly-made figure “ 3”),
which made the wall there 3 feet 8 inches in width.
What remained of the elevation of the wall was only from

2 feet to 3 feet 6 inches in height ; and the whole extent
of the wall, in its curved length, from north to south, was
about '20 feet.

From the northern end of this irregular-shaped cun'^ed
wall, another narrower, straight wall, about i foot 10 inches
in thickness, ran in a north-westerly direction, for a distance
of about 10 feet. The bricks of this old foundation were
decidedly ancient, and of a large size ; and they measured
I foot and ^ an inch in length, by 9 inches in width, and
2^ inches in thickness. I also dug up a long, squared, carved
block of kankar stone, which had evidently once formed the
architrave of some doorway.

The inhabitants of Khera-Bajera were not able to, afford
me any information as to who were the real, original •
, founders of the ancient place, which had long ago occupied
the site on t\ie, khera mound. All they could tell me was that
they knew that it was a very ancient place. But the present
principal Thakur, or zamindar of the village of Bajera, whose
, name IS Raja Ram,” and who is .a Rajput, informed

me that the aneptors of the family, along with the rest of
the Furir tribe of Rajputs, came from the neighbourhood of '
Hardwar, about a thousand years ago, and settled in the
tract of country which lies between Koel and, Sikandra Rao.

CENTRAL DOAD AND GORAKPUR IN 1874-75 & 1875-76. 9

The Chief, or Raja, of the whole Purir tribe resides at
Bijagarh, about 6 miles to the south from Akrabad and
Bajera ; and there are Purirs also at Sahcgtirhj or Saigarh/*
about 6 miles to the north-east from Akrabad.* Thakur
Raja Ram also further informed me that the name of the
first of his ancestors was Randhir,** and that when his
family first settled in the neighbourhood of Bajera^ they
found the old khera mound a deserted site then, and that he
had heard that it was then in much the same condition that
it is now^; and that his ancestors had at first built a resi-
dence for themselves on ' the top of the old khera mound,
but which having been destroyed during some war(probably
by the Muhammadans), they eventually removed into the
village of Bajera,

As, therefore, the actual old khera mound itself has been
in much the same condition that it is now, for at least a
thousand years^ and had perhaps been so for some time even
before that, it is evident that it must be the site of some
very ancient place, indeed I

A short distance to the south-west from the khera mound
and in the middle of the fields, I found the traces of an
old temple, of small size, which I was told had once existed
there. But all that remained of it consisted only of a few
squared blocks of kankar, and a very small fragment of
sculpture.

5.— SAHEGARH KHERA and NAGARIA KHERA. '

Saigarhf or Sahegarh, is situated about 2 miles to the
^ith,easf> of- Kiiriajgmij, and- about- 5 . milrjL nor.Lbr-

east from Akrabad, but as one has to go round by way of
Koriaganj in order to reach Sahegarh, it makes the total
journey from Akrabad about 12 miles.

Both Sahegarh and Koriaganj are said to have been founded
by the Purir Rajputs ; but close to the village of Sahegarh
there is a very ancient and extensive deserted site, or khera,
■which is called “ Sahegarh Khera” and which is said to have
' been founded in very ancient times by a race of people, who
long preceded the Purirs. "The people who founded the
ancient town which long ago stood on the now bare and
deserted khera^ were spoken of as having been priests, or
Brahmans, and a race called ** Pilus ” by the inhabitants of
the present village of Sahegarh.

* Purir, and also Pundir, Is a common appellation for descendants of the
PAndavas. — A, Cunmngham,

JO report of tours in the

At the village, there are the remains of a small garhi, or
mud fort, and traces of some small mounds between the
fort and the village. The people said that the site of the
present village and mud fort of Sahegarh was in aiicienl
times, possessed by a race or tribe of people called Pilu^
or “ Piru'"' and that in later times the mud fort was occupied
by the Purir Rajas, while the great khcra was originally
founded and inhabited by priests, or Brahmans ; but I suspect
that these priests may have been Buddhist rrionks ; and I
suspect that the so-called “ Pihis ” may have been the real
founders of Piloshana'' further south.^

The ancient khera is situated about 1,350 feet to the
south-east from the small or mud fort, and about 2,120

feet to the south-south-east from the village of Sahegarh.
The khera itself measured about 100 feet in length from
north-east to south, and about 530 feet across from north-
west to south-east. The highest part is towards the west,
where it cannot be less than 60 feet in height above the
level of the surrounding fields. Towards its eastern end the
khera is lower. It is cut through across near the middle
by a road, which goes in a south-easterly direction to a
place called “ Chaiipi'’^ The whole khera is full of ancient
bricks and pottery. I got some fine specimens of old pot-
tery at a depth of about 6 to 7 f^et below the surface,
in an excavation which I made. The bricks are large, and
nearly about the same size as tliose which I got in the
excavations I made at Bajera Khera. These large bricks
are a certain sign of the antiquity of the place.

The people told me that both on the ancient khera and
also about the old mud fort near the village, old coins are
found in great numbers during the rains. They said that
many hundreds, and even thousands, of copper, silver, and
even gold coins, have been found at once during the rainy
seasom and in some excavations which were made by the
samindars of the village. They showed me a few specimens
of the kind of coins which were found, and they pointed out
those among them which were found in the greatest number •
and those proved to be Indo-ScytJuc coins of the '' KanerkV'
and OerkV' (or Kamshka and Huvishka) type. The rest
consisted of two or three Dehli “ Bull and Horseman ” coins
and several common Muhammadan coins of the Pathan and

'I have now identified with the ancient town of Bihaitdn

which possesses two inscribed pillars of Kumara Gupta.— Cutinwjliam. ^ '

CENTRAL DOAB AND GORAKPUR !N 1874-75 '875-76' 11

Mogal dynasties. I could only induce them to sell me three
of the Indo-Scythic coins, which were copper, and consider-
ably defaced. But the mere fact that Indo’Scyihi'c coins are
actually found in considerable numbers at Sahcgarh during
the rains, is a decided and * unmistakeable proof of the
great antiquity of the place. Strange to say, however, the
people said that most of the coins of the Indo-Scyihic type
were found about the old or mud fort, where the bricks

are of a much smaller size than on the khcra. I believe,
therefore, that the mud fort must have been built on an al-
ready previously ancient site. One man had two ancient
silver coins, but he would not sell them to me.

The old Gat'ht\ or mud fort, I found to be only 1 10
feet from south-east to north-west, by 105 feet from north-
east to south-west, or nearly a square. At the distance of
45 feet to the south-east there are the remains of the lower
portion of a composite pillar, built of moulded curved bricks,
with such exceedingly strong mortar that the whole mass is
almost as hard as stone. The ground-plan of this pillar is
that of a square in the midst of four circles, one at each
comer of the square, and the corners of the square cutting
into the circles for about one-half their diameter j or the
form of the pillar might perhaps be better described as four
circular shafts inclosing a square. The present height of
what remains is only 2 feet 6 inches, and its diameter 2 feet
4 inches. The circular shafts at the corners are each i
foot I inch in diameter across, in a direction diagonal to
the square central core of the pillar, or rather in a direction
parallel to one of the diagonals, and at right angles to the
other diagonal of the square ; but the circular shafts only
project 7 inches beyond the corners of the square. These
circular shafts contract to a narrow neck, 10 inches in dia-
meter near the base. The square centre is 1 foot 4 inches
in diameter. The people said that this pillar-base was the
solitary remnant of a range of similar pillars which had
belonged to an old Kachen building used by the former
Rajas ; but I think it may more probably have belonged to
some palatial building or a temple.

About 180 feet to the north-west from the mud fort,
there is a small mound 37 feet in diameter; and again at
the distance of about 70 feet to the north-north-east by north
from the fort, there is another small mound, 20 feet in dia-
meter. In the same direction, 100 feet beyond the last-
named mound, and 170 feet from the mud fort, there is an

12 ,

REPORT OF TOURS IN THE

ancient well. It is between the. mud fort and this well that
so many ancient coins have been found. I made some
excavations there, and found the remains of an ancient wall.

About 245 feet to the north of the kliera, and between
it and the village, a spot was pointed out, where a very ancient
well once existed, which is now completely filled up by earth,
and there is a Peepul tree now growing on the top of it. An
inscription is said to have formerly existed in this well, and
the roots of the Peepul tree are said ' to have covered the
stone. I cleared out part of the mouth of the old well, but
the tough and tangled roots of the Peepul tree prevented me
from going any further.

About a mile to the west of Sahegarh, there is another
ancient site, or khera, on flat ground, now turned into fields,
called “ Nagaria^^ or “ Naga 7 'id ” Khej'a, There is a small'
indigo factory near it. Nagaria village in fact forms a con-
tinuation of Sahegarh ; but the site of the old kJiem is out
in the fields to the west, beyond a small indigo factory. On
the now cultivated site of this old khera, a few very ancient
bricks, of an enormous size, have been turned up by the
plough. I got one of these bricks, which was 5 inches
in thickness, i foot 2 inches in length, and 10^ inches
in breadth. There was the mark of four fingers scored
along the surface of one of the faces of the brick. Such
a thickness as 5 inches is something enormous for a brick
in India.

Sahegarh and Koriagan] are said to have been held, for
some time, by a Muhammadan Nawab from Oudh, whom
the people called ” Ghaus Kha^i” or Muhammad Ghaus
Khan.

I think that Sahega 7 'hj Khei'a^ and Naga7'ia Khe7‘a would
be well worthy of further exploration in the way of excavation.

6.--QASBAH JALAlI and NILAUTI.

Jaldliis situated about ii miles to the east- from Koel.
The present town is said to have been founded about seven
hundred years ago by the Pathans, near the ruins of an ancient
Hindu town called Nilauti^^ which was totally destroyed
and razed to the ground by the Muhammadans, and they
seem also to have almost exterminated the Hindu inhabitants,
u' memory now remains of who founded the former ancient
Hindu town of Ntlauti. The Muhammadan zamindar of the.
place, Wasat said himself that the Muhamma-

dans had killed all the Hindus when they took the place..

CENTRAL DO AD AND GORAKPUR IN x87-I-75 13

Nothing now rcmnins of the old Hindu site, except a
"bare hhcra mound, through I lie middle of whicli a branch
of the Ganges Canal is cut, about a quarter of a mile to the
west of the town of Jalali. On the right, or cast half, of the
old mound, cut through by the branch canal, the Muham-
madan Karbala is now situated, and also an old Muham-
madan tomb, with a long inscription on the head-stone. Veiy
ancient Hindu bricks, of a very large size, are, however, still
dug out of the ground at the mound. One of these ancient
bricks measured i foot 3 inches in length, by 9 inches in
breadth, and 2J inches in thickness.

There is also another ancient Hindu site situated near
Jalali, namely, "Kitkhari khcray which lies about a mile and
a half to the north-west from Jalali, This old khcra mound
lies about half a mile or less to the south-uest of the village
of Kitkhari. A great portion of the original old khcra
has been gradually ploughed up into fields, but the mound
which remains measured about 550 feet from north to south
by about 450 feet from east to west. But as the fields round
aoout it are covered with fragments of old poller)» and
broken bricks, I should estimate the original extent of the
old khcra to have been about 600 feet across, from side to
side. Very large ancient bricks are dug up on this old site,
of about the same size as the bricks I obtained from Nilauii
Khcra, close to Jalali.

It would appear that the first Muhammadans who made
their appearance in the neighbourhood of this place, were
some of the Ghazatvidcs, probably MahmAd of Ghasnt (?).
As the Muhammadan zamindar of Jalali assured me that the
old Hindu town of Nilanti was destroyed fully seven hundred
years ago, if not more, it could not have been later tlian about
A.D. 1173, or say 1170, w’hich would be about twenty years
previous to the taking of Delhi by the Muhammadans; and
therefore the old Hindu towm, wdiich stood near Jalali,
must have been destroyed in one of the earlier Muhammadan
invasions.

There are three inasjtds in the town of Jalali, besides
numerous ruined tombs, and the ruins of some small masjids,
scattered here and there, outside the to^vn or in the fields.
They are all built of brick. The style of all of the oldest of
the ruined Muhammadan buildings is decidedly early Pathan.
The ruined Muhammadan mausoleums, or dargalis, and the
small inasjtds attached to the old Muhammadan burying
ground, nave pUlar-Ukc shafts, or small minarets, attached

14

report of tours in the

to the corners of them, which are almost invariably sin mouniecl
by globular pinnacles, or capitals, or finials, m the old
Patlian style; and wherever any of these old buildings is
surmounted by a dome, it is always in the low and heavy early
Pathan style; but there are very few domes to any of the
older ruined Muhammadan buildings.

The largest mosque in Jalali is built of brick faced with
plaster. The mosque is now ornamented by two domes, of a
somewhat globular inverted pear shape, with thick, sliort,
circular necks; but between these two domes there is the
flat circular base of a third central dome, which was proba-
bly never built, although the Kadhu of the mosque said it
fell down, or was destroyed; but I do not believe it, as the
upper surface of the circular base is not in a broken or
ruinous state at all, but presents a perfectly even surface. At
each of the front corners of the mosque, and forming part of
the building, there are square-sided shafts, or minarets, which
rise above the mosque to a very little above the level of the
s tops of the domes. These square shafts are fluted vertically
and their tops spread out. There arc also two smaller broken
shafts of the same kind at the back corners of the mosque.
The mosque itself is entered by three arches, and it is divided
into three compartments interiorly, with side arches between..
There is no other ornamentation about the mosque, except
some devices in red paint on the plaster of the front of the
mosque. There are, however, three inscriptions on slabs of
stone on the front of the mosque, namely, one over each
- arch. There is a small inscription over the right-hand arch,
a large inscription over the central arch, and a still larger
inscription over the left-hand arch. There is also an "in-
scription on the niche, or apse, of the kihla.

This mosque is said by the people to have been originally
founded about seven hundred years ago by some Muham-
madp prince, whom the people called '' RasiildiiiP It was
repaired and renewed about four hundred years ago, in the
time of the later Pathans ; and it was again repaired and
renewed abount two hundred and fifty years ago by a Nawab
called Shamaz ^ ’ or, “ Tciinuz in the time of Jahangir.

There is another smaller and more modern mosque in
^lali, called the “ ImamharaR in which the Muhammadan
Tazia is kept for the Mohorram.

There is also a third very small, and apparenth'- modern,
mosque m the town. ' j . i

CENTRAL DO AD AND GORAKPUR IN 1874-75 S. 1875.76. 15

The Muhammadan zamindars of Jalali are said to be
descendants of the old Naivabs of Farrukhabad.

Wasat All, the present zamindnr of Jalali, is a Saiyad.
His father^s name was Khurshaid Alt. The present zaniin-
dar is now an old man, and from some documents which he
gave me to read, it appeared that he had rendered vei^’ faith-
ful and important sendees to the Government during the
mutiny of 1857 which time he was acquainted

with Mr. Campbell, aftenvards Lieutenant-Governor of Ben-
gal. It seemed also that Wasat All had not been sufiicienlly
rewarded for- the important semccs which ho then rendered
to Government, and that he felt this to be the case himself.

7.— sAnkara.

Sdukara is a very ancient site, situated on the right or
west bank of the Biidha Ganga^ 13 miles to the soulli-east
from Ram Gliat, 20 miles due east from Atraoli (or Atrowlee),
32 miles due west from Badaon, about 1 1 miles west-south-
west from Saheswan, 14 miles north-west from Soron, and 16
miles north-north-west from Khas Ganj.

According to the local traditions of the place, SAnkara is
said to have been founded more than two thousand years ago,
by a "■Raja" A/iada^ who was of the A/nr tribe, and who
may possioly, therefore, have been the same as the Raja
'^A/ii,** or Adti " who is said to have founded ^'‘A/iic/t/iatra''
further north, and who was also of the A/tir race. SAnkara
lies exactly only 41 miles to the south-west from A/iicIi/iatra

in the kingdom of ** Pnnclialad^ of which Ahichhatra was
only the northern capital. This Raja “Adi, " or “Ahi," may
also, perhaps, have been the same as the traditional ^^A/ti
Baran^* whoTs said to have founded “ Baran," or Bulandsha-
har; and I suspect that the name of “Ahar" on the Ganges
may possibly also have been derived from the same personage,

, SAnkara is an extensive site, which consists, of the
remains of an ancient fortress, facing towards the river, \vhich
rises to about 75 or 80 feet, in perpendicular height, above
the ban/t of the river ; and, secondly ^ of an extensive khera,
or rather of a succession of mounds or ridges which run
round the eastern, southern, and western sides of the old
fortress, and extend thence for a considerable distance.^
The whole extent of the site of ancient SAnkara, including

* See Phlc II fora map of Siinkara.

i6

report of tours in the

the old fortress, and the mound and ridges of the old
khera, may be estimated at about two-thirds of a mile in
length from east to west, by about one-third of a mile in
breadth from north to south. The whole rises to a very
conspicuous height above the surrounding plain country. ^
The extensive elevated ground of the site of the ancient
city of Sankara must have opposed^ an important obstacle
against the encroachments of the river Ganges, and which
I have no doubt was indeed partly one of the causes of the
river changing its course from its old to its new bed. The
river must, in the first place, have split itself into two chan-
nels, as if against a great pier, or breakwater. 'When in a
flooded and fluctuating condition, it came to strike the
whole force and volume of its swollen current against the
north-western extremity of the elevated ground of the
site of the old city. Sankara must, therefore, at some lime,
have been occasionally, during floods, like an elevated island,
between two branches of the river, until at length, in the

course of time, the river gradually subsided into what is called
the old Ganges, or Budh Ganga. But the force of the turn
of the river eastwards against the high ground of Sdnkara
would gradually send the bed of the river stream still further
eastwards, until it left the Sdnkara side, and took to the

present channel. That such must have been the case, may, I
think, indeed almost be proved to a certainty by the fact that
the northern or upper point of junction of the old bed of the
Budh Ganga^'‘ with one of its original divarications towards
the present channel of the river Ganges, is near a place
called “ or between Senkri'^ and a place called '

“ Jogia Nagla,'' only about 4 miles to the north-west from
Sankara. And a new canal is actually now being cut from .
the Ganges at Gokalpur, below Ramghat, not far above that
very point ; thus probably utilising a portion of the advanta-
geous old bed of the river.

Sankara is thus actually situated near the original point
of departure of the new channel from the old one. I there-
fore believe that the striking of the swollen current of the
river, when in a flooded state, against the high lands formed
by the extensive elevated mounds of the site of the ancient
city of Sinkara, was perhaps the actual primary cause of the
river gradually beginning to change its course ; for the Indu-
rated or hard packed soil of, such an old-inhabited and ele-
vated site mixed throughout with fragments of brick and pot-
tery, would offer a powerful, breakwater-like barrier, against

CENTRAL DOAB AND GORAKPUR IN i8;+.7S & 1875-7G. 17

the fluctuating current of a flooded river, which had over-
flowed its banks.

The site of ancient SSinkara is now almost deserted ; and
the present scanty cultivator population of the locality is
now confined to two separate groups of mud houses, or small
hamlets, one, the larger, constituting a village, and the other,
much smaller, and consisting of only a few houses; the
former being situated on the eastern, and the latter to the
north-w'estem side of the old khera ; the larger hamlet to the
east being the present village of SAnkara proper.

^ I could not obtain any information as to the Intermediate
period of the history of Sankara. In the time of Akbar,
Sankara Is said to have been held by one of his sons, and
one might perhaps conjecture that it may possibly have been
Ddnial.” But whichever of Akbar’s sons it was, he may
perhaps have built somewhat on the site of the old fortress,
and may perhaps have constructed new upper works, or
defences, but which are now destroyed. At any rate, bricks
of a size and shape which evidently belong to the Muhara-
■madan period, are found on the upper surface of the old for-
tress only, but not in any part of the sides, or lower portions
of it. At the side of the ramparts, on one of the outer faces
of the fort, where the soil had given way, or been cut away,
showing the stratification as in the section cutting, I could
clearly distinguish the successive vestiges of three different
and distinct periods, or ages, one above the other. First, at
the lowest level, I found large, thick, square bricks, of which
the few that were perfect measured 1 0^ inches to 1 1 inches
hjy Vi'imi "S *^1:0 €» ‘rirdiftra *ni ix

ness as 6 inches is remarkable for a brick of that shape, and
these were certainly the most dumpy specimens of ancient
bricks which* I had ever seen. It is worthy of remark that
most of these thick square bricks were marked on one side
with a very curious and deeply-indented device, consisting of
three regular concentric curved lines, one within the other,
forming a figure exactly like a horse-shoe, or the print of a
horse’s hoof.^

The stratum next above, namely, the intermediate, or
aniddle stratum, contained thinner but longer bricks. A
perfect specimen of the bricks belonging to this middle, or
intermediate stratum, measured upwards of i foot long,

• These are the usual finger-marks of the brick-niaker, made while the brick
was still wet. I have found these finger-marks at nearly all the ancient sites that
I have visited. — A, Cunninghatn,

VOL. XII

2

REPORT OF TOURS IN THE

i8

by lo -inchos in breadth, and from 2-|- to 3 inches in thick-
ness. The uppermost stratum of all contained bricks, some
of which measured 10 inches long, by 8 inches in breadth^
and 2 inches in thickness (and some rather less), which I
consider to have belonged to a late Hindu period, probably
just before the Muhammadan conquest of India. Lastly,
the surface bricks' on the top of the fort were of the usual
small Muhammadan size, such as were in use in the times
of Akbar and Jahangir.

But I have to mention that below the northern side of
the old fort, I found one of the largest bricks that I ever
saw. This brick was apparently, in reality, the half of a very
ancient Hindu brick of monstrous size. This enormous frag-
ment of brick measured i foot 6 inches in breadth, by
nearly 6 inches in thickness. The original length of this
brick could not be ascertained, as it was broken ; but what
remained of its length was 1 foot. There were some
marks on one side of the brick, which looked like ancient
characters, roughly scratched, and which might be read
as the name of “ Sankara” !

Towards the northern part of the upper plateau of the
old fort, I found the remains of the lower portions of four
composite brick pillars, which were built of small bricks, and
which had evidently supported some building of the Muham-
madan period.

Towards the south-eastern comer of the fort, on a sort of
.somewhat slightly lower terrace at the outer edge, I found
that two very narrow and very deep rectangular-sided pits
had been sunk, and which appeared to communicate with one
another at bottom by a narrow underground tunnel.

From what I could learn from the people, it would appear
that these two narrow, deep pits had been excavated by some
native zamindars, in order to get at and kill some porcupines
which had their burrow there ; and my only reason, therefore,
for mentioning these pits here at all is because one of- them
proved of service to me in my investigations ; for I found that
one of these pits had been excavated down the outer side of
an ancient wall which was sunk within and formed the core
of the upper part of the earth-work of the side of the old
fortress, which luckily afforded me an opportunity of 'mea-
surmg the depth of the wall at this point; and I found
that the wall only extended to the depth of from 14 to
15 feet below the surface of the upper edge of the fortj

CENTRAL DOAB AND GORAKPUR IN 1874-7S & i87S-7(j, I9

and the wall had a mean thickness of about 3 feet to 3 feet
8 inches, where it cropped out at another place.

I found that this buried well was composed of old .Hindu
bricks of various and irregular sizes, and most of them were
broken or imperfect bricks, as if the wall had been built out of
more ancient Hindu debris. The position of this wall put me
very much in, mind of General Cunningham’s section of the
rampart of the old fort at '' Bit ha,** in Plate XVII of his
Report for 1871-72^; only that there did not seem to be any
“batter” to the buried wall in the earth-work of the old fort of
SAnkara, and certainly there was no room for any fmts-sehrate**
or “ raonii* as the side of the fort descended thence, with a
very steep and abrupt slope, down to the bank of the river.

As I stated before, the earth-work of the old Hindu
- fortress of SAnkara rises, at the highest point, to a height of
from 70 to 80 feet above the bank of the Bitdh Ganga. At
one point, from the top or crest of the steep slope of the side of
the fort, down to its foot, on the bank of the river, it measured
from 90 to 95 feet. The form of the outline of the upper
surface of the fort is an irregular- shaped oval figure, with
slight indentations. The greatest breadth of the fort runs
backwards from the river from north-west to south-east j
the breadth of the fort, in this direction, being about 680
feet ; while it presents a comparatively narrow front of only
about 450 feet towards the river. On the northernmost part of
the upper surface of the fort^ there are the remains of a small,
square, upper fortification, which measured only about too
feet each side. Again, near the western edge of the upper
surface of the fort, there are the remains of a small low,
rectangular earth-work, which measured about 70 feet by 55
feet. Near the centre of the fort, and on the highest part of it,
there is a large round brick tower, with steps outside, which
was erected by the officers of the Trigonometrical Survey.

There are three large, sloping hollow gaps, which cut
-down through the edge of the fort, and which tepresent the
positions ‘of three former ancient gateways of the fort. One
of these is at an east-north-6astern angle of the fort ; another
at a south-eastern angle j and the third at a south-western
angle of the fort.

'The edges of the fort are not raised at all above its
inner surface, but the inner upper surface of the fort is a
raised, nearly flat plateau, even with the edges, except that

Archieological Survey of India, Vol. III.

20

report of tours in the

in the centre the ground is in reality actually higher than
at the edges. I have observed this peculiarity of construe-
tion in one or two other very ancient Hindu remains of
fortresses, which at once distinguishes them from all modern
Hindu or Muhammadan forts. The ancient >;'/ of Sdnkara
is simply a high, steep-sided, flat-topped earth-work, or a
sort of lofty, table-topped plateau of earth-work, which
never had any kind of raised rampart whatever along its
edges, but seems to have depended principally on height and
steepness for means of defence. There may, of course, in
ancient times, have been a low brick parapet wall, with
bow-shot loop-holes running round upon the upper edge of
the fort; but if so, that was all Now, it is worthy of re-
mark that such a mode of construction differs entirely from
all our modern ideas of a fort, and that it would only be
well suited for those ancient times when bows, and spears, and
swords were the only weapons in use.

On a narrow flat piece of ground below the fort on the
north-western side and between the fort and the old river
bank, there is a grove of mango trees, and outside of the
grove, on the very edge of the old river bank on a low
mound, there stands a small, plain, square, middle-aged
temple of brick, surmounted by a dome, which contains only
a Lingam. But I was informed that this temple stands on
the site of a former very ancient temple, which was long
ago destroyed ; and there are still traces of the foundations
of some former building, consisting of some hewn blocks of
kankar stone, protruding from the ground. And I was told
that a native when digging there for some purpose some
time ago came suddenly upon an ancient doorv^ay, and that
his superstitious fears on this discovery caused him to stop
his digging, and prevented him from going any further. Be
this as it may, I may mention that, even as far off as Sahe-
garh, I heard that an ancient temple was buried underground,
near the old river bank at Sankara. One of the triangular
base stones of the Trigonometrical Survey is buried in the
ground near this temple. _

^ In a small, dilapidated, shed-like brick building adjoin-
ing this temple on the west side, I found a very interesting
piece of ancient sculpture in red sandstone, which I brought
away with me. This consists of a heavy, solid block of
stone, 2 feet 3 inches in height, by 2 feet in breadth, and
I toot m thickness. This sculpture evidently represents an
ancient Hindu wooden house, of massive construction, show-

CENTRAL DOAB AND GORAKPUR IN 18747s & i87S-7<5 2 t

ing six comers of three successive front projections, one
beyond the other, and surmounted by a shaped roof.

In an upper compartment of the front projection, represent-
ing a sort of balcony, or window, with pillars at the sides,
there are the figures of a man and a woman, apparently
wearing Buddhist head-dresses, and which (though consider-
ably weather-worn) closely resemble the small human figures
represented on the upper compartments of the Buddhist
railing pillars, found in the mounds at Mathura.

About 80 feet to westward of the temple, there is a small
round-topped mound, which appeared to be mostly composed
of sand, although it contained some fragments of old pottery,
&c. ; and it may possibly be some old site covered with sand
drifted from the old river channel close by.

To the east side of the grove of mango trees, and near the
edge of the old river bank, there is a very old well in which
I found some ancient bricks, of a large size, of a slightly
wedge shape, and concavely hollowed out at the broader end,
one of which measured nearly 1 foot 4 inches in length by
8 inches in mean breadth, and 3 inches in thickness.

The present small village of SAnkara is situated on a
high ground across a low hollow which divides it from the fort,
and about 150 feet distant to the west, from the fort. The
village occupies a rising ground ( lower than the fort ) of
about 500 feet in extent each way. But a slightly lower con-
tinuation of this rising ground runs towards the south-west
for about 38 feet, until it joins another high ground of con-
siderable elevation and extent, which lies immediately to
the south of the fort, and which extends for about 600 feet
from north to south by about 300 feet from east to west.
The whole of these three continuous high grounds, of varying
height just described, including that on which the present
village stands, are covered with fragments of brick and old
pottery, and constitute the site of a portion of the ancient
city, which originally partly surrounded the fort on the
eastern and southern sides, and which would give a longitu-
dinal extent of about i ,400 feet.

To the west of the last-mentioned high ground, and to
south-south-west from the fort, and close to a high road,
there is a small circular, round-topped, knoll, or little mound,
which measured about 70 feet across, and on which a lot of
broken pottery and a few fragments of sculpture and other
remains were collected together in a heap. Amongst these
i found the following remains — i, a small image of Ganesha;

22

report of tours in the

2, two curious half figures of animals in red burnt terra-
cotta, which appeared to represent some non-descript kind of
animal, but which most resembled a lion ; 3) ^ small, rude,
terra-cotta figure, apparently of Buddha, in a standing pos-
ture, about 3-1 inches in height, but wdu’ch had lost the head
and ’shoulders"; 4, two fragments of sculpture in stone, which
appeared to me evidently to be some small fragments of two
separate architraves of a , Buddhist gateway. One of these
.fragments still possessed a trace of the curve of a Buddhist
architrave, and it was ornamented with leaf sculpture some-
what resembling the Greek acanthus. The other fragment of
sculpture, which is about 8 inches in length by 4 x 6 in thick-
ness', and which I brought away with me, has the representa-
tion of four Buddhas, seated in a row, each with the right
hand raised. 5, I also found the head of a small statue,
apparently Buddhist, in red sandstone.

About 300 feet to the east of the village of Sankara,
there is another high ground, which extends for about 700
feet in an east-south-easterly direction, and which is covered
by a dense grove of trees. Along the southern edge of this
high ground, there runs a road, which goes to a place called
Pirthipur, which lies about 5 miles to the south-east from

Sankara. Immediately to the south-west of the “ high
ground ^ covered with trees,” before mentioned, and on the
south side of the road, there is a circular, conical, or dome-
shaped mound, which measured about 170 feet across, and
which has a flat square depression on the top. I have a strong
suspicion that this mound might possibly turn out to be the
remains of the debris of either a Buddhist stupa or of a
temple. Again, about 30 feet further to the north-west, there
is another mound, on the top of which there is a farmer’s
house and out-buildings. These two mounds lie, respect-
ively, at a distance of 250 feet and 400 feet to the south-east
from the village of Sankara.

About 300 feet to the west from the fort of Sankara,
there runs a main road from north to south; and about 1,500
feet to the north from the bank of the Budh Ganga, this
road crosses the cutting of the new canal, which comes
from near Ram Ghat, and passes along the southern boun-

ancient city of SS.nkara, but cutting
on a high isolated mound, to the south-west. The road which
crosses^ the canal, as before mentioned, goes to an old place

which lies about 4 miles to . the

south- from Sankara.

CENTRAL DOAB AND GORAKPUR IN * 874*75 & *875.76. 23

To the west of this road, and to the north of the canal,
and from 400 to 500 feet to the west from the old fort of
S&nkara, there is a long range of mounds and ridges and
heights, which extend for about i,ioo feet from north to
south, with a varying breadth of from 400 ‘or 500 feet to
800 feet from east to west. As fragments of brick and
pottery are plentiful everyivhere throughout the soil of these
high grounds, it is evident that the ancient cit}' of SSinkara
formerly extended also in this direction.

About 350 feet to the south-south-west from the southern
termination of the high grounds above mentioned, and on
the southern side of the canal, there is a high, isolated,
somewhat conical-shaped mound on which the ruined walls
of a small temple were still standing when I was at Sdn-
kara, but which may very possibly have since then been
pulled do\^Ti by the canal people for the sake of the bricks.
As I found a small wedge-shaped brick with one of the sides
convexly curved on this mound, and as the mound, generally,
had very much the appearance of an old sifipa mound,
Tmade some excavations in it, and at the depth of about 3
feet I c^me upon the remains of an ancient wall, which ap-
peared to run in a somewhat cun^d direction ; but I had
not time to pursue my excavations any further.

From the above-mentioned mound, a series of heights,
mounds, and ridges run in a somewhat broken succession due
westwards for about 2,600 feet to a village called Haranpttr.
These heights evidently once formed an old bank of XhcBtidh
Ganga. The people told me that there was a tradition
current to the eHect that the ancient city of S&nkara had
once extended all along these heights to Haranpttr. It may
have been so, but what I considered to be the actual site of
the ancient city of SAnkara, I found by survey to be about
3,400 feet from east to west, by about 2,000 feet at its great-
est breadth from north to south, but generally less.

The old bed of the Budh Ganga lies about i ,000 feet to
the north from Haranpur^ and runs thence in an east-north-
easterly direction, and then turns due east until it passes
close by the northern side of the old fort of Sdnkara, from
which point the Bndh Ganga takes a turn in an east-south-
epterly direction. It is evident, therefore, that the ancient
city and fort of Sankara occupied a projecting point, round
the north-western,^ northern, and north-eastern sides of which
the ancient and original course of the river Ganges, or Bndh
Ganga, turned with a bend about equal to the arc of one-
third of a circle.

24

report of tours in the

As Sankara is beyond all doubt a very ancient site, I
would suggest that it might be of advantage to cause some
excavations to be made there, more especially about the old

Sankara now belongs to a Muhammadan zamindar, who
is called a Nawab, but who resides at some distance from it.

I was told that this Muhammadan zamindar had in his pos-
session an ancient inscription, which was found at Sankara.
I think that very strict inquiries should, be made about this
inscription, as I have found by experience that Natives are
very apt to deny the existence of such things when they find
that they are being inquired after.

8.— SAMBHAL.

The old city of Sambhal is situated on the Mahishmat
Nadi, in the very heart of Rohilkhand. In the Satyug its
name is said to have been Sabrit,” or Sabi'at, and also
S anibhaleswar. In the Tretayug it was called Mahadgiri,
and in the Dw^par, Pingala. In the Kaliyug it received its
present name of Sambhala, or in Sanskrit Sambhala-grama.
To the south-east of the city is Surathal Khera, which was
called after Raja Surathal^ a son of Raja Satyavdiia, of the
Lunar race. Sw'athal Khera mes-snmd. 1,200 feet in length
. from north-east to south-west, by i ,000 feet in breadth. Close
to the south-south-west side of it there is another large
khera, with a village on it called ” Raja Sadun-ka-khera,''
or “ Sadungarh,” probably Satun or Sataun, for Saiyavan.

There are also many other smaller mounds between the
two places. The two kheras of Surathal and Sadun toge-
ther evidently once formed one large city. Another ancient
place named A^nrama-pati Khera is situated on the right
bank of the Sat river, and near the village of Alipur.

About a mile to the north-west of the last place, there is
another mound called Chandreswar Khera.

GuMthal Khera, which is situated about 2 miles to the
south-east from Surathal Khera, measures about 1,600 feet in.

0ngth from east to west^ by about i^ooo feet in breadth from
north to south.

u-L. places are situated to the south-east from Sam-

bhal and Lhandausi.

1 building in Sambhal is the J^mi Masjid,

originally the temple
of Han Man dir. It consists of a central domed room up-
wards of 20 feet square, with two wings of unequal length.

CENTRAL DOAB AND GORAKPUR IN 1874.75 & 1875-76. ^5

that to the north being 50 feet 6 inches, while the southern
wing is only 38 feet i-J inches. Each wing has three arched
openings in front, which are all of different widths, varying
from 7 feet to 8 feet.^

The Muhammadans ascribe the erection of the building
to the time of the Emperor Babar, and point to an inscrip-
tion inside the masjid, which certainly contains the name of
Babar, but which the Hindus assert to be a forgery of late
date. At or on the back of this slab, they say that there
is the original Hindu inscription belonging to the temple.
Several Musalmans of Sambhal confessed to me that the
inscription containing Babar’s name was a forgery, and that
the Muhammadans did not get possession of the building
until about the time of the mutiny, or a little before it, say
about 25 years ago. That they took possession of the build-
ing by force; and that there was then a trial about the
case in Court before the Judge of the district, and that the
Muhammadans gained the case mainly by means of the
forged inscription, and also by all the Muhammadans join-
ing together and bearing false witness against the Hindus,
who were in the minority.

In the forged inscription of Babar in the Hari Mandir
at Sambhal, it may be observed that the name of Babar is
wrongly given. In the inscription I read as follows : —

Bdni Aina Ilm o Amal .

ShAh Jamjih Muhammad BAbar.

yAj ^

But the real name of this king was ShAh Zahir-ud-din
Muhammad Babar.

The fine dome of this building is probably unique of its
kind. It is a clear hollow shell from the keystone down to
the ground. Its shape is very much like the hollow of the
inside of a huge thimble. The interior shape of the dome is
ovoid, or like the half of an ovoid ellipse rotated on its axis.
The dome is built of brick, and it is said to have been rebuilt
(as it now is) by the famous Prithvi Raja, who appears to
have been a great benefactor *to Sambhal. The circular
dome stands upon an octagon, and the octagon upon a square.

The walls of the central square Hindu temple would
appear to have been built with large bricks cased with stone,
but the, plaster with which the Muhammadans have coated
the walis conceals the material of which they are made;

‘ See Plates III and IV for plan and elevation of this Masjid.

report of tours IN- the

26

and I: can only say that, on examining several spots where
the plaster was" broken, I found that in some places stone
was exposed. I believe that the Muhammadans stripped off
most of the stone, especially such as bore traces of Hin-
duism, and made a pavement of the stones, turning the
sculptures downwards. I observed traces which showed that
the walls had once been much thicker when the stone cas-
ing was on. Underneath the outer steps of the outer court
I dug out some fragments of sculpture in reddish sandstone,
one of which was the upper portion of a fluted pillar. ^

The Muhammadan wings added to the building, in order
to turn it into a masjid, are built of small bricks, that is;
wherever the walls happened to be bare of plaster, I found
that the bricks were small and set in mud mortar. There is a
clear and distinct difference between the old Hindu work and
the modern Muhammadan work, and the old Hindu temple is
at once distinguishable from the Muhammadan additions.

The square Hindu temple would have had originally only
one doorway in the east wall, about 8 feet in width, but the
Muhammadans cut four more doors, each 6 feet wide, two in
the northern and two in the southern wall of the square
temple, in order to communicate with the aisles of the side
wings which they added.

Note by General Cunningham.

[The inscription in the masjid which the Hindus denounce
as being forged appears to me to be quite genuine. The
text IS as follows; —

JL»

0

L>=

3 '

^ b

^ 0

« 0

5 f

* 0

-

)i 3 I 1^53

0

3 3

1 '

sS

IX X

jL*

3^^ J

J3

I»LjI uusU

5

I T k ^ ^

j (JaC

ij**"

CENTRAL DOAB AND GORAKPUR IN 1874-75 & 1875-76 27

The full date is given in h very ingenious manner with
the last words : —

Ehtm az Shahar Rabi^al^atzal^

^hich mean literally “ on the first day of the month of Rabi-
al-awal,” \Yhile the sum of the individual letters give the
year 933 A. H. according to the reckoning of the Abjad.
The builder, or rather the converter, of the Hindu temple
into a masjid was Mir Hindu Beg.]

9,— ahAr.

AhAr, or Ahewa-nagara, or Abhanagara, lies on the west
or right bank of the Ganges, about 7 or 8 miles to the north
from Anupshahr.

Ahar is the present name on the town which is said to
occupy the actual site of the ancient city of “ Kundilpur,”
which bleonged to Raja Bhishmak, in the time of Krishna,
and from which Krishna carried off his bride, Rukmini, the
daughter of Raja Bishmak, whom her brother Rukam had
forcibly betrothed (against her wall) to Sisupal, Raja of Chedi.

Ah&r, and especially the deserted site, or bare elevated
ground or kher^i, immediately adjoining the west of it, is still
known as “ Ktindilptir ” to the Pandits and to the Pujaris of
the temples and to the pilgrims or devotees who visit
the spot. Ah&r would, therefore, appear to be perhaps one of
the most well-marked of ancient sites still existing in India
from the heroic ages of Hinduism.

It is at least a place of considerable traditionary romantic
interest and of reputedly venerable antiquity.

It would, however, appear to be very doubtful whether Ah^r
can be identified with the Kundilpur of tradition, after all.
In an excellent historical memoir of the zillah of Bulandsha-
har, by the intelligent Deputy Collector of the district, Kuar
Lachman Singh, he says that —

“this tradition is evidently wrong, for, according to the Purans,
the capital of Bhismak ^vas at Kundilpur, and the name of his coun-
try was Vidarbh, which has been ascertained to be Bidar, or the
Barars of Central India. Moreover, there is no mention whatever
in the description of Kundilpur, as given in the Purans, that it was
in the vicinity of the Ganges. Had the present site of Ah&r been
really the ancient site of the capital of Vidarbh, it is highly impro-
bable that its situation on the bank of the Ganges should not have been
mentioned in the “ Rukmin Wedding Chapter “ of the Bhagivat,
where the houses, gardens, suburbs, and other particulars of the
scene are minutely detailed.

28

REPORT OF TOURS IN THE

I may also mention that Kuar Lachman Singh expressed
the same opinion to me himself personally during a visit

which I paid to Bulandshahar. .

Now, the identification of Vidarbh, the country ot^ Kaja
Bhishmak, with the Berars of Ccntr;il ^ India, is ccrtainl)' a
strong argument against the possibility of Ahir being
Kundilpur, the capital of Raja Bhishmak. The only question
is whether the identification of the country of Raja Bhishmak
with the Berars of Central India is conclusively certain ^ or
not; and, in such mere traditions as those concerning
Krishna, which I myself believe to be inylholoyicctl^

I think the identification of any of the localities named in
those traditions must be very uncertain, and may be open to
question.^ For I believe that the localities may be as mythi-
cal as the traditions in which mention is made of them.
Nay, I believe, moreover, that even the persons whose names
appear in such traditions, and who generally bear the
character of demi-god heroes and demons, were simply a
mythical phantasmagoria. And as the Homeric story of the
siege of Troy is now generally believed to be a mere inytlios
allied to the mythoi of the Vedas, I think wc shall be justi-
fied in placing the traditions about Krishna, as well as those
of the Ramayana concerning Rama and Hanuman and such
like, in the same mythical category. Indeed, for that matter,
I would even venture to attribute the whole story of the Malia-
bharat to the same mythical origin. For I do not believe
that the circumstances or transactions treated of in these
traditional tales ever had any existence whatever in reality ;
and I believe in nothing except in those data which may be
obtained from actual ancient inscriptions on stone or on
copper-plates, or from ancient coins. But yet, at the same
time,^ in my archaeological reports on ancient places of histori-
cal interest, I feel myself in duty bound to pay a certain
degree of respect to such traditions, and to take notice of
them and record them wherever they are found.

But, even supposing that there were some truth in the
identification of the country of Raja Bhishmak with the
Berars of Central India, I think that is the only objection
that can be offered against the general popular belief, in this

* It is quite certain that the city ol Bidar is the ancient Vidarhha, it is
equally certain that it has no connection with Bcrar. Bidar is on the Manjhira
Kiyer, or southern branch of the Godavari, while the province of Berar is limited
to Warda and Venya Ganga Rivers, about 150 miles to the

north of Bidar. — A, Ctinningham*

CENTRAL DOAB AND GORAKPUR IN 1874-75 &■' *S 75 * 7 <»* SQ

part of the countr)', that A/iar was the Kundilpur of tradi-
tion, for any of the other objections raised by Lachman
Singh can be easily disposed of.

I do not think that the fact (if tme) that the river
Ganges is not mentioned in the description of Kundilpur
given in the BhAgavat, is any serious objection whatever to
the identification of AhAr with that place. For, in the first
place, all of the inhabitants of AhAr itself, who knew anything
about the history of the place, confidently assured me that
Kundilpur” was an ancient name of AhAr; or, in other
words, that AhAr was the Kundilpur of tradition. And
in the zecond place, the Tahsildar of Bulandshahr, who
appeared to be very well informed on such subjects, in some
conversation on this subject which I had with him, quoted
the very words of Rukmmi herself, to the effect that, when
she sent a message to Krishna imploring him to come to her
rescue, she said that, if he did not come, “ KM Mahod
Karnngi;*' that is, “ that she w'ould jump into the Mahod.
Now, “i^/<r/W”is one of the names of the Ganges river
itself; and therefore, when Rukmini said that she tvould
jump into the Mahod, she meant that she would jump into
the Ganges 1 And certainly she could not have jumped into
the Ganges in a hurry unless it was near Kundilpur, where
'she lived I It is true that Mahod ox Mahoday*' also
means final absorption into the divine. essence, or final beati-
tude, or, as we say, ” efemtiy" that is, an end to life by
death. But the Ganges is also called Mahod, because
the dead jre ccnsigticd to its ^vaters, as if to the waters ot
Eternity, and I expect therefore that when Rukmini used
the term ” Mahod, ” she meant the waters of the Ganges and
not mere “ absorption.”

Again, in his Historical Memoir, Lachman Singh remarks
that the name of AhAr has been derived by some from >1///-
/wr, meaning ” serpents destroyed ” ( or, as I would trans-
late it, the destruction of the serpent), because, as he
says, it is supposed that Ahflr was the place where ^aninejaya
performed the (Jiom) sacrifice, for the destruction ot the
serpent race. But all I can say is that I did not find any
such tradition whatever current at Ahdrj but on the con-
trary, the natives of AhAr itself totally disclaimed any such
honour for their place ; and they all with one accord agreed
in stating that had performed the Aow sacrifice

of a serpent at an ancient site called ** Taurput Taharpur
or Taerpur; on the bank of the river about miles or

30 REPORT OF TOURS IN THE ~

3 miles to the north-north-west from Ahar. I visited this
ancient site myself and I found that the Horn sacrifice was
still regularly performed at Tahav'^ur by Brahmans, on a
small altar of masonry ; and I was shown the (reputed)
actual, ancient great earth-work platprm on which the Jan-
mejaya had performed the Ho 7 n sacrifice of a serpent. ^

I was repeatedly informed -and assured by the' natives of
Ahar, generally, that the most ancient name of Ahar was,
^^AvaiiagarJ' or ^'A'wanagara^' or Ahwanagara,” as this name
was variously pronounced by them. Now, I believe this ancient
name of Ahar, “ Ahwandgra ,” to be absolutely identical with
Abha Nagari'^ or Ahha^iagara, ” the ancient capital of Raja
Chand, but which Lachman Sing has, nevertheless, somehow
identified with “ Aurangabad Chandokh, ” which is situated
about 12 miles to the south-west from Ahar. “ Chandok,”
by its very name, shows that it was founded by Raja Chand.^
But I believe Ahar to have been the capital, under the name
of “ Abhanagara.” With regard to the derivation of the
names Abhangara and Awa- 7 iagara or Ah'ma- 7 iaga:ra^ I >may
state that “ o^ha ” in Sanskrit means light, splendour, beauty,;-
and “ abhay ” means without fear; while ay means to keep, to
protect, to defend, to obtain; avanz^^ mesaas the earth,
and ahva means a name, an appellation, a calling, a sum-
mons, an invocation, or an invitation; and ahv7ia,'^ or-
“ ah'iva 7 i'^ means unemulous, or without emulation. In Hindi,
“ aroa ” means a brick-kiln ; and it is remarkable that there are
numerous mounds round AMr which are evidently the remains
of ancient pas dwdhs'^ or heaps of scorioe or ashes and
brick slag in which brick and pottery had been formerly
burned.

I may here notice that there is also a place in Raj-
putana called “ Awa-nagar,” I believe about 30 miles to
the north-east from Jay pur.

The second ancient name of Ahar, as I stated before,
is said to have been “ Ktmdilpur^^ by which name it is sup-
posed to have been known in the time of Krishna and the
Yadus.

In his Memoir of Zillah Bulandshahar, Lachman Sineh
says that —

there seems but little doubt that Ahar was the capital of a
province of Ihc Pandava empire, and that after it had been assigned
to the Is agars,' the head-quarters of the Governor were removed to

literally means » the house of Chand. ”

Janmcjaya,

-CENTRAL DO'AB AND GORAKPUR IN 1874*75 & 1875^76. 31

the spot where Bulandshahar now stands * . At any rate, the
large mounds of ashes and ruined buildings indicate Ah&r to be an
ancient town. It may be the Ahi JKshetra where Drona established
his head.quarters after having overcome Raja Drupad and taken
possession, as mentioned in the Mahabhirat, of the northern half of
his P&nchM kingdom."

^ I have only one remark to make upon the above, and that
is, that “ Aht-kshetra, or rather Ahuchhatra, the capital of
North Panchala, has already been identified by General
Cunningham with “ 77? which is situated about 15

miles to the east from Bareli and about 22 miles to the
north from Badaon.

' The name of Ah^r is said to be derived from the Sans-
krit word hdr^ meaning defeat, or discomfiture, or destruc-
tion, as, for instance, in the loss of a battle or the defeat
of an army, conjecturally the defeat of SisupM and Jar^-
sandha by the Yadus. But unless the initial letter “ A " is
a'mere accidental prefix, added by corruption, it would rather
seem to indicate the negative particle “a,” prefixed to the
word and therefore Ahflr would more likely mean

without defeat ^ or without fail^ that is, successful, and it
might thus perhaps be conjectured to refer to the sup-
posed fact of Krishna having not failed, but on the con-
trary, having been eminently successful and victorious in
fulfilling his promise to rescue and carry off Rukmini, and
also to the fact that Krishna and his brother Balram are sup-
posed to have here completely defeated the armies of
SisuQak, I^arasindbjL, ami Bjikam,. AJjAj: ther-pJ/uie. be-

taken to mean “ without failure f or “ successful,^' or tincon-
guered. But in Sanskrit, “ with the first vowel only

long means a pond or ftt^ or a trough for' watering cattle,
while ahar'^ with both vowels long means provisions,
aliment, provender, or food, and therefore, as the name of
a place, Ahdr might signify a victualling place, a place for
provisions or stores of food, a commissariat in fact, or
it might mean a pasture -ground reserved for the fodder, or
provender or feeding of cattle j and in that sense Ahdr, as
meaning fodder, provender, or pasture, might be the origin of
the name of the " Ahirs,” who are cattle-herds ; so that the term
" Alnr " might literally mean feeders, or provettder-providers for
cattle, or graziers, or pasturers. Much in the same man-
ner as I am very much inclined to suspect the name of the
“ Gujarsf who are also cattle-herds, may be a mere cor-
ruption of Gauchara, which would mean cattle-grazers,

report of tours i»v the

32

from “ gau,'' cows or cattle, and cJiara, fodder or forage or
pasture. For, in the Hindi lang^uagc, at the present day,
gau-charai'' means grazing of cattle. U seems, there-
fore, very probable that the term “ ” is ^unply a cor-

ruption or abbreviation of Gciu^cluivd* i his would, of
course, entirely militate against General Cunningham’s theory
of the name of the Gujars being derived from that of the so-
called ''Gushangl' or “ Kushnn'' or '^Khuyshan!'
On the other hand, again, the name of the " Ahirs ” might
be derived from the Sanskrit word a serpent, and

might thus have originally signified serpent -worshippers, or
an Ophite race, and thus the/f/z/r^ might originally h;ive been
a branch of the great Naga race of India, whose origin is
involved in mystery. Such a supposition is, indeed, somewhat
supported by the tradition that AJii’CJihaira'^ to the west
of Bareli, was founded by a Raja Ahi, an Ahir, with whom
a legend about a flooded serpent is connectial ; and I think
it would probably follow that this Raja Ahi must have
really been the great traditional ancestor and progenitor
of the whole Ahir race ! Now, a Raja “ Ahi Baran ” is said
to have been the founder of Bulandshahar, the ancient name

of which was Baran p' and a Raja Ahid'’ or A hdB an
Ahir, was the traditional founder of the ancient city of
Sinkra, on the Budh Ganga. I myself, therefore, believe
these three personages, with only slightly varying names,
to have been in reality one and the same individual.

I have thought it proper to bring forward these few
etymological and ethnological suggestions here, because the
whole of this part of the country, extending from Buland-
shahar in the west to Ahi-chhatra in the cast, and from
thence southwards to the site of the ancient Ahii- city of
Sankara on the Budh Ganga, opposite to Seheswan, is
closely connected, by tradition, with the Ahir race ; and also,
because I believe that the AJnrs must have been the race
who possessed Ahar, and the whole surrounding country,
when was called Ahiua-nagaraB Moreover, I think

« traditionally famous great Raja

Ben Chakwai" or Vena Chakrava^-tii is reputed to have
ounded so many places in this part of the countr\f may
f to the Ahir mcQ, unless, indeed, the name

ot l/ena ChakravarttV^ may have been (as I strongly sus-
pect) only another^ or Hinduised, form of the name of the
famous so-called Indo-Scythic king ^^Vema Kadphiscs,”
-which IS, at least, equally probable.

CENTRAL DOAB AND GORAKPUR IN i8;4-75 & »8757£^ 33

I may, however, mention that the word **Ahar** (spelled
with both the vowels short) is also the name of a tribe of
Rajputs.

But to return to the consideration of Ahdr as the supposed
Kundilpur. It is well known to all who have read the Prem
Sagar, that Bhismak, Raja of Kundilpur, was favourable to
the marriega of his daughter Rukmini with Krishna, but that
his son Rukam, a bad and haughty man, cherished a feeling of
hatred against Krishna, and w.is determined to h.ive his sister
Rukmim married bj force to SisupAl, Raja of Chedi. Rukmim
had already in a vision seen the form of the divine Krishna as
her destined husband, and she had therefore firmly fixed her
affections upon him. The gentle Rukmini therefore dispatched
a faithful Brahman to Krishna at Dwarka, the city of the
Yadus, to inform him of her distress, and to implore his aid
and protection. Krishna immediately started on a hastj
journey for Kundilpur, and was speedily followed by Ins
brother BalrAm with an army. When Krishna reached
Kundilpur, his arrival was notified to Rukmini. Rukmini
then, on the very day that she was to have been forcibly
married to Sisupdl, sent another secret message to Krishna
by the same faithful Brahman, to inform him that wlicn two
gharisy or watches, of the day were still left, she would go to
a temple of Devi to the 'east of the city , in order to pay her
devotions. The message which Rukmini sent to Knshna
is given in the “ Prem Sagar ** as follows

“ O abode of Kindness ! tins is Ibc marriage day ; nben two gharis
of the day arc left., I will to perform at a.tenjnlc at Davt^ east-
ward of the city. My modesty and good name have uccn entrusted to
you j act so that they may be preserved."

Krishna, faithful according to appointment, arrived in his
rathy or chariot, at the temple while Rukmini was there,
and before she could leave it to return.

The path of Rukmini had been well guarded by the
demon guards of SisupM and Jarasandha; but when the
lovely Rukmini issued from the temple, these demon guards
tvere completely confused, abashed, and paralysed, on the one
hand by the divine appearance of Krishna, and on the other
hand by the dazzling beauty of Rukmini ; and then Krishna
came forward, and, in spite of them all, placed his arm round
the waist of Rukmini, and lifted her on to his chariot beside
him, and drove off on his homeward route westwa/d on the
road which should lead him towards Dwarka. Krishna was
presently pursued by the whole army of SisupAl and Jara-
VOL. Xll «

REPORT OF TOURS IN THE

34

sandha, which his brother Balram, with his Yadu followers,
completely defeated. Presently Rukam (the son of Raja
Bhismak), hearing of the defeat of his allies, collected his
forces and pursued Krishna ; but Krish'na^ defeated Rukam
and made him prisoner, and only spared his life at the inter-
cession of the beautiful Rukmini, and of his brother Balram.

Now, the temple of Dem^ to the east of the ^ city of
Kundilpur, from which Krishna carried off Rukmini, was a
very sacred shrine, dedicated to the tutelary female divinity
Amhikd Devi. This temple was situated on the old bank of
the Ganges, probably at a bend of the river eastwards, about
2 miles nearly to the east from the city of Kundilpur.
Since that time, however, the river Ganges has changed its
course at that point, and has eaten away its bank, until the
site of the ancient temple has become overwhelmed and
swept away, and buried in the very centre of the present bed
of the river. But I was assured that some of the remains of
the overturned ruins, or at least the actual site of this ancient
temple, were actually still visible and recognisable a few
centuries ago ; and the actual spot in the river-bed in which
the site of the temple became engulphed, is still carefully-
remembered and pointed out. It appears that an ancient
forest extended from the interior out on -to a point of land
at this spot, and that the ancient temple was situated at
the end, or apex, of this forest-covered point of land. A
portion of this dense primeval forest still remains on the
west bank of the river, exactly opposite to the spot on the
river where the ancient temple once stood ,* and on the
bank of the river, in the border of the forest next the river,
there is still a small plain square-domed temple, dedicated to
Amhikd Devi, said to be about two or three centuries old,
which is one of probably several successive structures which
have been built to replace and perpetuate the ancient temple,
so that a devout Hindu pilgrim and worshipper of
may still, through faith, believe that he is paying his devo-
tions at the shrine once trodden by the feet of Rukmini, and
hallowed by the presence, and fearlessly merciful and loving
act, of Krishna,

There is a very fine old and rather richly-can'-ed wooden
door, of Nim wood, in the doorway of this temple, and there
is a Ndgari inscription carved on it, dated in Samvat 1872
(A.D. 1815).

Near the present temple of Devi there is also a small
^ shriije dedicated to Mahadevaj or Siva ; and they are sur-

CENTRAL DOAB AND GORAKPUR IN i8?4’7S & i875’?6, 35

rounded by a range of buildings for the accommodation of
pilgrims and worshippers. Indeed, an inclosed shelter of
some kind, for those who frequent the shrine, is absolutely
necessary, as this lonely patch of forest is still occasionally
visited by tigers,— a fact of which I was assured by the
testimony of numerous people. The tigers do not seem
always to frequent the spot, but appear only at certain
times of the year, principally, it is said, about the month of
Kartikj or October, just after the rains. They are probably
stray tigers, which occasionally wander from the most south-
erly outskirts of the Terai, I can, however, personally bear
witness to the fact that this patch of forest, surrounding
the shrine of Avibikd Devi and the neighbouring ravines, is
infested by wolves, as I myself saw no less than three wolves
there in one night, and one of my goats was nearly carried
off by a wolf on the road.

There is another old temple about 2 miles to the west
from Ahdr. This temple is dedicated to A?nbikeswar but
it is also known among the common people by the vulgar
name of “ Kanchan Bakhsh-ka~Mandir,'^ that is, “ The tem-
ple of the giver of gold.” This temple is far-famed, and is
said to be of very ancient foundation. The temple stands
within a high-walled in closure, with octagonal towers at the
corners, but with a later addition at the back, beyond the
back pair of towers j the whole, including the towers and the
back addition, being about 85 feet in length by 66 feet in
breadth.^ Within this inclosure there is a high raised chantra,
or platform of masonry, 37 feet by 24 feet 8 inches, on which
'itnndni. TW 'Vrfdfi •>= 'h. kjuldin/g,

26 feet 9 inches in length, by 15 feet 6 inches in breadth.
It contains two small square chambers, of exactly the same
size, each chamber being 9 feet 6 inches square interiorly.
The backmost chamber of the two constitutes the sanctum,
which contains only a. lar ge Lin^am. The walls of the temple
are about 3 feet in thickness. Each of the two chambers is
surmounted by a low hemispherical dome. This temple is
decidedly old, but very plain and devoid of any architectural
beauties. It is, however, said to stand on the site of a much
more ancient and larger temple, which was destroyed many
centuries ago.

In the town of Ahdr there is another temple dedicated to
A^orbadeswar.^^ It is ornamented exteriorly with figures,-

* See Plate IV for a plan of this temple.

REPORT OF TOURS IN THE

36

but, although it stands on an undoubtedly ancient site, I do
not think that the present temple is more than middle-aged
at any rate, it does not look old. There is no inscription of

any kind about it. ^ ^ -

The present town of Ahdr is about half a mile squpe.

The ancient city of Ahwa-ncogara, or Kundzlpur, is said
to have included the site of the present town, and also a large
extent of bare elevated ground, now partly intersected by
ravines, which extends to the south-west and west-south-
west from and beyond the present town. The whole extent
of the ancient city may probably have been about miles
square. Fragments of ancient bricks and pottery are scat-
tered, here and there, over the bare ground to the south-
west.

At Ahdr I obtained a mutilated stone, which was broken
in two in the middle, 2 feet 9 inches in length, by 9 inches
in breadth, and 5 inches in thickness, on which there was a
'Kutila inscription, which had been totally disfigured and
defaced, with the exception of a few words, — the stone having
been cut by a mason in order to form a water-spout, either
for a well or for a temple. The inscription originally covered
the whole of one side and one end of the stone. I could
plainly see that there had been a date in the second line^
which ran round both the end and side of the stone j but
all that remained of it were the doubtful words “ S^ravan
Samvatra ox S^ravan Sazziv io3yra? ^ ^ *

nao Sudi 12 Samvatsra mdsa divasa 26.” I could also
read the words “ Maliipdl Dev ” in the first line. I think it is
very probable that this “ Mahipal Dev ” may have been the
“ Raja Mahipal” of Kanauj, who lived in the eleventh
century.^

lo.—INDOR, OR INDRAPURA.

Indor Khera is the name of a very large and lofty mound
with a small village perched on the east-north-eastern side of it’
situated on the right bank of the eastern branch of the “ Choya
Nadi, about 2,500 feet, or about half a mile, to the west-north-
west from the Anupshahar and Koel Road, and about 8 miles
to the south-south-west from Anupshahar ; it is also about 5
miles to the north-west from Dhubhai, and about miles, in

' I think it probable that the date may have been “ Samvat 117V’ or A D
1116, during the reign of Mahipala, the Tomara Raja of Delhi and Kanaui

the village of Mahipilpvx, near the Kut{

CENTRAL DOAB AND GORAKPUR IN 1874.75 & i 87 S' 7 o. 3 ?

the same direction, from the Dhubhai Station of the Oudh
and Rohilkhand Railway.

The local tradition is that Indor was founded by the
famous Raja ** Ben Chakwaf or Vena Chakravariti, pre-
sumably somewhere about two thousand years ago; and
that it was rebuilt, or aftenvards possessed, by a “ Rajai?^/'/'
whom the ignorant people of the village of Indor absurdly
supposed to have been a son of Raja Be^i Chakwa / But
this” Raja D6r” of the local traditions evidently simply
means a Raja of the Dor tribe of R^jpiits, who are believed
to have come into this part of the country, about the end
of the loth century, from the central Dtidby as stated by
Kuar Lachman Singh in his Historical Memoir of the
Zillah of Bulan dshahar. These Dor Rajputs are the same
as the race of “ Doda^ or ” Dorei^ mentioned by Tod in his
Anna/s of Rajasthan f and of which race some account
was given by me in my reports on ”Toda" and ” Visalpur"
in the great general report of my tour in Rajpntanad-

It is also said that Ani Rai^'^ or Am7p Raij Badgujar^
of AnApshahr, in the time of Jahangir, made some attempt
^ to restore or rebuild the fortifications of Indor ; but gave
it up as a hopeless job. At any rate, on the northern edge
of the great Kh^ra of Indor, there are the wrecked remains
of a small portion of a thick wall, and a low, ruined bastion,
composed of small bricks, in a mass of tremendously strong
mortar, which are reputed to represent that portion where
Andp Rai commenced his fruitless attempts to restore
them.

'Ca, 'avi 'twcwbrlf/rjgVy

site; and if, as I have ventured to believe, “ Raja Vena Chak-
ravartti” was simply the Brahmanical Hindu name of the
great (so-called) “ Indo-Scythic ” King “ Wema Kadphisesi*
then Indor Khera is even still older than his time. For, among
numerous ancient coins which I obtained from the soil of
- Indor Khera itself, there were not only a good many Indo-
Scythic coins, and also several coins of ihe Buddhist Satraps ;
but there was also one coin with a legend in ancient charac-
ters of the time of Asoka, besides some half dozen punch-
marked coins of a type known to be much older than the
period of Asoka.

But I had the good fortune to obtain a still more certain
and absolute evidence of' the antiquity of Indor, by the

* Archaeological Survey of India, Vol. VI.

^8 REPORT OF TOURS IN THE

discovery of an inscription on a copper-plate found in a
nalla in the village of Indor, dated in the reign of Skanda
Gupta, in the year “ one hundred and forty-six’’ of the era
of the Guptas, which would be equivalent to about A.D.
224 or 225. This inscription is also important-, because it
mentions the actual ancient and original Sanskrit form of the
name o{ Indor no less than three times as " Indrapttra
by which we learn that the modern name of '\Ind6r'' is
simply a vulgar popular contraction, or corruption, of the
ancient name “ IndrapdraP through the intermediate forms
of Indrdwaran and Inddwar. This copper-plate inscription
is in twelve lines.

[The following translation is from the pen of the
distinguished scholar, Babu Rajendra Ldla Mitra, to whom I
submitted the inscription shortly after its discovery. — A.
Cunninghami\

TRANSLATION.

"Amen! May he whom Brahmans, in obedience to law, praise
with the harmony of meditation and the entire devotion of their
minds;— may he whose end and whose motions upwards and sideways
neither the gods nor Asuras can divine; — may he whom men over-
powered by disease and dispondency seek with the utmost earnestness; —
may that fountain and creator of light (BhS.skara) who pierces the
darksome envelope of the earth, be to your protection 1

" In the year one hundred and forty-six, in the month of PhS.lguna
the (?) of the thriving and invincible kingdom of his most noble majesty
the supreme sovereign of great kings the auspicious Skanda Gupta,
for the promotion of prosperity in the possession of the owner Sarvan^ga
in Antarvedi (or the Doab of the Ganges and Jamuna). *

* * versed in the four Vedas, the highly-respected Brahmana

Devavishnu, son of Deva, grandson of Pirind^na, and great-grandson
of Dodika, constant in the adoration of Fire, of the family (anvaya)
of Gor^ and the clan (gotra) of Varshangana, within precincts of
Indrapura, provides for the promotion of the fame of his mother, the
wherewitha. for the maintenance of a lamp for the (image of the)
lord Savita (the sun) which established to the east of the hermitao-e of
the two Kshatriya saints, Achalavarma and Bhumikantha, and adjoming
Indrapura and Mardasyana. It should be the duty of the guild of
oilmen inhabitating Indrapura to maintain this grant, and by supplying
the oil to the Brahmans of the temple to make the merit of this x gift
reflect on them.

" On every new moon they should give two palas of oil in addition
to the daily allowance, and this (should be done) 'as long as the sun
and the moon shall last. He will be' a vile murderer of cattle, of
spiritual instructors and of Brahmans, who will venture to set aside
this ordinance ; enveloped by the five heinous sins and all minor sins,
such a wretch will drop to the nether regions. Finished,'^'’

lo/a

The following remarks regarding the subject of this
inscnption and its date are taken from the learned Babuls
notice prefixed to his translation —

"The document opens with a stanza in praise of the sun god, and
then records the mandate of a petty zemmdS,r, named Devavishnu, render-
ing It obligatory on the part of the guild of oil sellers at Indrapura in
the Doab to supply the temple of the sun, at the place, with a sufficient
quantity of oil daily for the use of the temple, the supply being increas-
ed by two pahs, which will be equal to i,i30 grains, or about ai ounces,
on every new moon day.

"The donor was a Brahmana versed m the four Vedas, and owner
of an estate in the Doab of the Ganges and Jamuna, which is indi-
cated by its ancient name, Antarvedi Ihe locale of the township of
Indrapura is doubtless the modern village of Indore, and the Kherft
probably contains the ruins of the old temple of the sun

"The date is by far the most important part of this record It
states in clear and unmistakable words, “the year one hundred and
Torty-six of the thriving and invincible kingdom of Skanda Gupta,”
or, in other words, a Gupta era calculated in connection with a thriving
kingdom, and not from a reign The compound w ord " ahhu ardliarndna-
vijaya rajya samvatsare” cannot consistent!} be interpreted m any other
w ay Grammatically, the phrase " raj} a-samvatsare ” can only mean " m
the year of the kingdom,” and to apply it to the reign it should be split into
two separate words "r&jya” and "samiatsare,” but the fac stmtlem this
part is perfectly clear, and there is no trace in it of the vowel e, the
mark of the locative, at the end of the first w ord I called the attention
of General Cunningham to this part of the record, and he assured me
in reply that he could find no mark on the plate to indicate the vowel
m question, a rubbing of this part of the plate which he has sent me
appears perfectly distinct and without any vowel -mark on the top of
the word rAjya Without the case mark, the phrase if applied to the
reign on the strength of the epithet " abhivardhamdna,” “flourishing,”
being m the present tense, it would make the reign of the prince
extend to a hundred and forty-six years, and I have no hesitation,
therefore, m rejecting such an interpretation as absurd The word
"rajya” in this part of the inscription has the letter so engraved as to
make it thereby appear like rUrfijya, but this is an obvious misformation
of the compound consonant jya, due to the writer, or the engraver, of
the record, and cannot be taken as m any way intended to alter the
sense The mark for ^ is m the record a hook on the top, and not a
curved line behind, aS in modern Bengali, and one of the cannot
therefore be taken for a vowel mark It is possible, however, that a
small mark, like that for e, may be omitted by mistake, and mistakes
of the kind not being unknown m copper plate inscriptions, it is neces-
sary to enquire whether such a mistake has here been committed
or not ”

[On reading Over these remarks, I have again examined
the inscribed plate of Skanda Gupta, which has now been

REPORT OF TOURS IN THE

'40

most thoroughly cloaned. When Babu Rajendra Lala referred
to me some years ago about the reading of r^jya or rfljye, I could
not then perceive any vowel mark over the jy. But now that
the plate has been very carefully cleaned, I can see a faint
trace of the vowel e of the usual form in this inscription
springing from the left upper corner of they3') curving
backwards over the vowel a of rd. The true reading of the
words is therefore rdjye^ as proposed by the learned trans-
lator.

Regarding the date of Samvat, I have no doubt whatever
that it must be referred to the Gupta kal, or eia of the
Guptas. The initial point of this era I believe that I have
now discovered from the double dates of the inscriptions of
Raja Hastin and his son Sankshobya, compared with the week-
day named in the inscription of Budha Gupta on the Eran
pillar. This initial point is A.D. 167= the year i of the
Gupta kal. The date of the Indorkhera inscription will
therefore be i66-{- 146=3 12 A.D. — A. Cunningham?)^

I obtained, altogether, about a hundred and fifty coins,
of all sorts, from the soil of Indor Khera itself. Of these, the
most ancient are six rectangular punch-marked coins, of which
one is silver and the remainder copper. The silver punch-
marked coin has seven symbols stamped on it, of which five
are on the obverse and two on the reverse. One of the
symbols on the reverse is shaped like a two-headed or two-
looped knot, with a curved tail, surrounding a circular
nucleus, and may very possibly have been the distinguishing
symbol of the ancient city of Indruapra. One of the copper
punch-marked coins has the figure of a bull in a recumbent
position, with some letters of the most ancient type to the
left of the bull’s head, two only of which are decipherable,
and which read as dhama^ which appears to be followed by
the letter cha. Another of the punch-mai'ked coins has
some rude, unrecognisable symbols stamped on one face,
and it has three parallel lines, drawn longitudinally, along the
middle of the other face.

Equally ancient, probably, are upwards of half a dozen
geimrally very brittle, irregular-shaped, flat pieces of copper,
with exceedingly rude, blotchy devices, raised in slight
relief upon them. Two of these appear to bear a rude figure
^1,^ Another of these rude pieces has a human figure,

w 1C appears to be a woman, sitting between two other
imperfect blotchy-shaped figures, one of which looks like an
animal, and may be an elephant. The devices on the

CENTRAL DOAB AND GORAKPUR IN 1874-75 & 1875*76* 4 1

remaining pieces are too blotchy and indistinct to be recog-
nised. I consider these pieces to be examples of the earliest,
or most archaic or primitive, crude attempts to represent
devices or figures on a rude coinage, by the aid of roughly-
formed, flat, soft, clay moulds, on which a shallow design
was coarsely traced.

The next coins in point of antiquity are six coins of the
early Hindu moulded type, which generally bear Buddhist
symbols. One of these coins, which bears eight Buddhist
symbols, four on each face of the coin, is exactly the same
as the coin represented in “ Prinsep^s Indian Antiquities*'
Vol, I., plate XIX, Fig. 18. Two other coins have the
figure of an elephant on one face, and a device on the
other face which consists of a lozenge-shaped figure with
the comers rounded off and the sides bent in, or rather
a figure composed of four small semi-circles, of which the
concave sides face each other, and the contiguous ends
uniting to form a continuous wavy outline. Another coin
has the figure of an elephant on one face ; but the device on
the other face is composed of four small circles connected
by two straight lines crossing one another at right angles.

I have now to notice a single unique coin, obtained at
Indor, which has a legend, in the ancient Lat character of
the Edicts of Asoka, running in a straight line across the
centre of the coin. The first letter of the legend is so much
worn away as to be almost obliterated ; but from the little
trace that remains of the back stroke of the letter, it would
appear to have been an A. ” The remaining letters of the
legend are, however, sufficiently plain and distinct; and I
read the whole as Ajyashvadattayna” ox Ajyeshihadat-
iamaP On the reverse of the coin there is the remains of
an erect human figure.

The Indor coins, which stand next in antiquity, are
twenty-eight pieces of the Buddhist satrap type. Of these,
thirteen, or nearly one-half, are square coins of “ Vtrasbnap
whom General Cunningham considers to have been the
Deputy Governor, or Satraps over Mathura (that is, over
Northern India) under the great Indo-Scythic Kanishka /

and I may add that the General has obtained altogether
about a hundred coins of the same V'ira Sena from Mathura
alone. Now, if during one single rainy season I have been
able to obtain a dozen coins of this Vtra Sena, from Indor-
Khera, it is evident that in three or four seasons more I
should probably be able to obtain, nearly as many of these

42

REPORT OF TOURS IN THE

coins from this place as General Cunningham obtained
from Mathura 1 This fact alone is a proof that Indor, or
Indraptra^ must have been a place of importance during the
period of the Indo~Scythic domination in India ; and I would
further remark that such facts as these afford one of the
strongest proofs of the great importance of coins as an aid
in developing the ancient history of India. We saw before,
in another instance, that the name of Brdhmana^ DevOj
whose genealogy is given in my Indor copper-plate inscrip-
tion, occurred also on numerous coins which General Cun-
ningham had been so fortunate as to obtain.

The oldest of the Buddhist Satrap class of coinage
which I- obtained at Indor, judging by the style of the
characters of the legend, was a unique oval-shaped copper
coin, stamped on one face with a square die, which covers
only about two-thirds of the face of the coin. In the centre
there is a small erect human figure. To the right there is a
symbol which resembles the Greek capital letter © . On the
left there is the usual conventional, angularly-formed Bud-
dhist symbol of a branched, candelabra-like tree. And
over the top of the whole there is a legend of six or seven
letters, in a straight line, which I at first read Rdjdsa
AkhasaP signifying “ the coin of Raja AkhaR But on a sub-
. sequent closer scrutiny of the coin, I have come to the con-
clusion that the central character of the. legend, which I at
first took for the letter a, is in reality two letters, namely “ ddy ”
followed by ‘Vo,” or “do and that therefore the whole legend
may be read as “Rdjdsa DdrokhasaR or “DddokhasaR I prefer
the last reading of “DddokhasaR as the second of the two
middle letters of the legend appears to me pretty certainly
to be the hard cerebral “d ” of the ancient alphabet, \v\t\i two
vowel strokes, or lagmdtras, attached respectively to the
right of the middle, and the left of the top, of the letter, and
denoting the vowel “o.” The name of the king on the coin I
therefore take to be “DddokhaR If it were not that the letters
of the legend appear to be a little too old, I might have been
inclined to identify the “ Dddokha ” of the coin with the
“Dduddika ” of the copper -plate ; for, as we find from the
date of the copper-plate that Brdlimana Deva was' living in
the year A.D. 224, his great-grandfather, “Dduddikaj must
have been living till about A.D. 150, if we allow twenty -five
years for a generation-, while I attribute the coin bearing
the name of “ Dddokha ” to a date at least a century and a
half earlier, or to at least a century before the Christian era.

CENTRAL DOAB AND GORAKPUR IN tS74-7S t 8 ;s. 7 e. 43

The only other of this class of coins which requires to be
noticed separately by itself is a vcrj» small circular coin,
bearing the name of “ in characters of about the

first centur)' of the Christian ora.

The remainder of Buddhist Sairnp class of coins obtained
at Indor may be shortly described as follows : —

Two coins of " Itdmadata'* one of uhich is vciy much
defaced. These coins appear to be found over a remark-
ably nidc extent of count r)% as they have been also procured
at i\fathum^ and I obtained one very perfect coin of
data as far south as CliHor.

Two coins of Rajubul^ on one of whicli the name alone
is ven* plain, but the other coin is much uorn and defaced,
and the few indistinct letters which remain of the name read
more like Rabat. General Cunningham supposes the Satrap
RajubuV' to have ruled over North-Western India, from about
B.C. 120 to 80 B.C.; and he further considers him to have
been the father of the Satrap Sauddsa^ whom he believes to
have reigned between the years B.C. 70 and 57. *

Of the Satrap '^Sauddsa ” I also obtained two coins at
Indor Khcra. The name of the Satrap only is clear and
distinct on both of the coins, and the rude human figure on
the reverse of one of them is visible; but the remaining
portions of the coins arc worn down smooth and defaced.

I obtained nine or ten more coins of ibe Buddhist Satrap
type, of which the legends were totally defaced and obliterat-
ed. One of these is of an oblong rectangular shape, and has
the well-known figure of a horse on the rever.se. Another
WsTnere\y Vne Tirst \\vo\cVtcrs, khail* o\ Vne commcnccmcnX
of the legend, remaining.

Of the coins of the “ Indo-Scvihic ” series, I obtained
about twenty at I nd6r, some of which were much corroded,
and defaced.. Among these there were the following : One
defaced coin of “ Wemo KadpUtscs / one with the running
figure on the reverse; one of '"Kanerhi,^' obverse legend
obliterated, but with ”Aihro” on the reverse ; five of the com-
mon degraded " Ocerki” tpyc, witli “ bull and attendant'^ on
reverse; one elephant rider f one (defaced) of the type
which has the King sitting on clouds f two wdth King
sitting side-'ii'ays f two witn sitting female divinity'* Kin
reverse ; and one apparently of “ BAZO A HO '' (BasoBh')^

^ ' My conjeclure lljat Ihc Satrap Sa^^d.^«5n was the “ son ’* of the S.atrap
Rajubul has since been confirmed by a very curious inscription discovered by
Pandit Bhag>Nin Lil Indraji at Mathura.— yl, Cunningham,

report of tours in the

44

blit the obv6tS6, with legend, was totally defaced. Another
y 0 ]*y much defaced coin has the Greek letters ONO, or
© NW, remaining On one face, but which are more probably
the remains of the common reverse legend, ” Athro” as
the letters “ HO ” are discernible on the other face. ,

The remaining coins consisted of two copper and six
silver “ fire-altar ” coins ; two or three much worn coins, with
remains of the monogram “AVc>”or Kato” or Kota
two coins of “ Sri Pratdpa f' one silver, one copper, and five
mixed metal “ Vardha drammas and a few silver and
copper “ Bull and Horseman ” coins. ^

I also obtained an ancient circular copper seal at Indor,
bearing a name in five -letters, in characters of about the first
century of the Christian era. Two of the letters are partially
defaced by their lower portions having been somewhat eaten
away by corrosion, which makes the reading of the name on
the seal a little difficult and doubtful. But after a close and
minute scrutiny, many times repeated, of the seal itself, as
well as of numerous rubbings and impressions of it, I have
come to the conclusion that the name on the seal may be read
in any of the following ways : — “Sri Vejtn7iasi” or Sri Vejzn-
vanshuj or Si'i Vedmvasi, or Si'i Vedinvanslm, or Sri
Vermarvdsi, or Sri Vermarvdiislm. The first or initial
letter of the name looks, at first sight, like the palatal S
alone, with simply the lagmatra for the long vowel i, attached
at top, which would read as “Si;” but on a closer scrutiny of
numerous rubbings and impressions of the seal, there appears
plainly to be a trace of the originally attached “ r ” below,
but which now appears as a thin, faint, indistinct, stroke, with
a small separate dot-like fragment beneath, owing to the
bottom, or lower end, of the first limb of the letter “ S” having
, been partially eaten away by corrosion, and therefore I read
the first letter as “Sri.” The second letter is quite perfect,'
apd reads plainly and clearly as “ve.” The third letter may be
either a cerebral “d” or a “J,” or a ragged “m,” which; has
become blotchy and indistinct from corrosion. The bottom,
and one side of the letter especially, has been eaten into and
partially cut away by corrosion. There is a short curved
stroke continuing downwards from the bottom of the letter,
which might represent the vowel “ u.” There is also a
perpendicular stroke attached to the top • of the letter, which

^ Note. I afterwards found fifteen half-silver, or mixed copper and silver,
IndoSassaman-Jire-altar coins in a small earthenware vessel, while excavating*
the remains of an ancient temple, in a mound to the west of Indor Khera. “

CENTRAL DOAB AND GORAKPUR IN 1874 - 7 S & 1^75-7^. 45

I take to be either the long vowel or else a " or super-
imposed ‘V.” The fourth letter looks most like the letter
“ 72,” but may be an “ t ” with a straight horizontal stroke,
at right angles, attached at bottom to the foot of the letter,
for the vowel “ There appears to be some trace of a
vowel stroke, or tagmdtra^ over the top of the letter. This
letter is followed by a ragged round dot, which I take to be
an “ amisivara;^' but if, on the other hand, this ragged dot
be taken to be the remains of the top of a second limb of
the preceding letter, then the whole, or the two together,
must be read as the letter Below, or underneath the

last Or fourth letter, there is a blotchy mark, which may
be the defaced remains of some attached letter, such as
it^ii or " attached below. The fifth and last letter may
be read either as St or shii.

I sent some rubbings and impressions of this seal to
General Cunningham, and he proposed to read the name
simply as “ Stva-ddsa,^' that is, I presume, Stva-ddsasa^ in
the Pali genitive case, as there are certainly five letters on the
seal.

But I believe that I can now say confidently that the
name cannot be read in that manner ; for the fourth letter is
certainly not an S. I myself incline to prefer one or other of
my first two readings of ** Sri Vejtnvasz " or i§ri Vejinvan^
shu!^

Besides the above, I also obtained two lumpily-shaped
medallions, or seals, of some very hard, dark-coloured com-
position, like a mixture of lac and pottePs clay, one of which
.in jihe wibAab

I read as “ Sri Man mpra^ "and the other bears a figure
of the VarAha AvatAr of Vishnu.

But perhaps the most interesting of the smaller relics of
antiquity which the soil of Indor Khera yielded me, is the
half of a rock-crystal gem, or, in other words, the half of a
beautifully-engraved seal, in rock-crystal, which, from its fine
and artistic execution, I fully believe to have been of Greek
workmanship. The device on this seal represents a lion-
headed human figure, in a sitting, or half-re dining, half-loung-
ing .position. A thick flowing mane spreads out on either
side of the leonine head. The left knee (right on the seal)
is raised, and the left arm (right on seal) rests naturally, or
rather is thrown negligently, over the knee. A chain, of
which each link is clearly visible, passes over the left shoulder,
and in front of the left leg. There is a round object under

46

report of tours in the

the arm which appears to me plainly to be the Greek letter 0
(“theta”), which may probably, therefore, be the initial letter
of the engraver’s name, which may consequently possibly have
been “ ThenokratesP Under the hand, on the right margin of
the seal, just where it is broken away, there is a jDortion of
another Greek letter, which could only have been either the
letter v , or v , or v (Delta, or Lamda, or Alpha). This is
evidently the first letter of an inscription which iy unfortu-
nately broken away. From the symbol of a chained, lion-
headed figure, on the seal, and from the fact that the lost
inscription, judging by the single letter of it remaining, may
have commenced with the letter A L, I would conjecture
that the name on the seal may have been Leoulkos, which
would mean “ the lion-conqueror and that the seal may
therefore have belonged to a Greek, or Macedonian, officer.
But how such a seal came to Indor Khera, is a puzzle,
seeing that, as yet, I have not been able to obtain a single
genuine Bactrian Greek coin from Indor, although Indo-
Scythic coins were pretty plentiful.

I also got a small circular glass seal bearing the device
of a six-leaved flower. Each leaf, or petal, of the flower is
of a lozenge shape, with a round dot in the centre of each.
This may possibly have been a Buddhist symbol, as I found
a device, of a nearly similar kind, stamped on a terra-cotia
toy figure of an animal, found at Indor, and also on a circu-
lar brass boss.

Of copper rings, I got several fragments. I also obtained
the following interesting relics in metal : — i , A long-handled
copper ladle, much corroded ; 2, a copper image of a human
figure, which had lost the head ; 3, a brazen key, ^vith a

handsome ornamental handle, shaped exactly like' a lyre.

I moreover obtained numerous common gems, such as
beads, drops, and cut stones, in agate, cornelian, onyx, white
and coloured rock crystal, &c., &c. One small red corne-
lian ornament is in the form of a ho 7 'se, which has lost the
head and legs. One conical-shaped drop, cut on six sides,
may perhaps be a topaz. It would be impossible here to
describe the remainder of the small relics found at Indor
owing to their great number and variety. Among them,
however, I may mention a flat oblong rectangular chaupar
piece, with five spots formed of concentric circle ; and also
a flat ivory article, ornamented with circular marks, and
shaped either like an arrow-head, or the half of a fish ; but
part of it was broken away, so that its original purpose could

CENTRAL DOAB AND GORAKPUR IN 1874.7s & 1875-76. 47

not well be determined, I also found two spindle-shaped
ivory or bone implements, thick in the middle and pointed
at each end. General Cunningham seems to have found
objects of exactly the same shape at Bitha ; but those ob-
tained by me at Inddr were smoothly polished, while those
found by General Cunningham appear to have been roughly
cut. I believe them to be “ trce^nails ” for joining planks of
wood, as iron ones, of exactly the same shape, are made by
the natives at the present day.

Of ancient pottery-ware 1 obtained numerous specimens,
as well as some terra-cotta figures and fragments of orna-
mentally-moulded or carv'ed bricks, intended to form archi-
tectural patterns on buildings.

Perhaps the most curious relic in the way of pottery
obtained at Indor is part of the mouth and side of a lar^e
earthbn-ware vessel, bearing Buddhist symbols stamped on it,
which originally encircled the neck of the vessel. These
consist of the Buddhist symbol of Dharma, r. c., a trisftl,
uith the ends fleury, with a circle below and the circular
figure of an expanded lotus flower occurring alternately.
Beneath these there is a band of three lines, and beneath
that a border consisting of a series of semi-circles.^

I also obtained a red burnt clay die, for stamping cloth,
rYbich bore a floral festoon pattern, deeply cut into it. At
the back there is a raised ridge, intended as a handle for
holding the stamp.

Of earthen-ware vessels I obtained a great number of
various sizes and shapes ; some shaped like tea-pots, with
narrow necks aad spouts some small and round., with naxcow
necks ; others wide-mouthed, with slightly rounded or nearly
fiat bottoms; and others shaped like bonis or cups, wide at
top, but wth very narrow bottoms, and some of the smaller
vessels of this kind were very fine and thin. I found a great
quantity of these small-bottomed wide-mouthed vessels
together in a mass in a curious manner. During the rains,
f made some excavations within the shelter of an empty
house, in the village of Indor, and came upon some ancient
foundations composed of large bricks. In one corner, at
a depth of between 4 and 5 feet, I came upon the top of
a large erect hollow earthen-ware cylinder, which was 2 feet 8
inches in diameter. On digging down to a further depth, I

‘ See Plaie VII, figure 1 The Buddhist symbol on the left seems to be
composed of the Tri-ratm, or Thrcc-gem figure placed above ih^Dharma-
chakra figure, or *' wheel of Religion.”— /I. Cunningham,

REPORT OF TOURS IN THE

48

found that this cylinder extended to the depth of about 3
feet 6 inches, and I found, moreover, that it was not of one
solid piece, but that it was composed of live separate suc-
cessive circular pieces, placed one above the other, and ce-
mented together at the joins, each piece being about 8|
inches in depth, and at each join there was a narrow pro-
jecting band, or flange. I tried to remove this cylinder,
either entire- or in parts, but as soon as the attempt to
move it was made, it fell to pieces. I found that this cylinder
was filled with a firmly-packed mixture of hard yellow clay,
fragments of brick, and a great number of narrow-bottomed
*earthen-ware dishes, of th^e kind which I have previously
described. It is difficult to divine what was the original
purpose of this cylinder. If it was meant for storing grain
in, then how did it come to be filled with a lot of earthen-
ware dishes, mixed up, hickelty-pickelty, with broken bricks
and hard-packed clay? The cylinder was evidently very,
ancient, as it was imbedded in hard, tough clay, which looked
as firm and natural as if it had never been disturbed.

Of terra-cotta figures I obtained several at Indor, and
three or four of them were really worth keeping, although
none of them were perfect^ but all of them more or less
broken or deficient in some portion. The most interesting
of these terra-cotta relics is a small half figure of Maya, the
mother of Buddha, standing under the Sdl tree. The lower
half of the figure is wanting, from the waist downwards, but
the upper portion of the figure, which remains, is exceedingly
well executed. The face is remarkably good for a red clay
figure of this kind, and there is a grace and softness about
the breast and arms. Only a small portion of the left arm
remains, but the right arm is perfect, and is raised gracefully
above the head ; and a few leaves of the Sdl tree are rather
roughly and indistinctly represented below the hand. There
are bracelets on the arms, and there is a necklace round the
neck, very minutely represented. The head is adorned with
a peculiar Buddhist head-dress, a portion of which spreads
out over the crown of the head, and from which two orna-
mental knobs project on either side, just over the ears, and
two pendants, terminating in round knots, hang down to the
shoulders.^ The portion of the figure which remains is. about
2^ inches in height, so that the entire original height of the
figure, when perfect, must have been about 6 inches.

Besides the above, I obtained two small well-executed
bust figures of women in terra-cotta, the lower portions of

CENTRAL DOAD AND COR VKPUR IN *874.75 A' 49

the figures having been broken away. One of these half
figures is 3J inches in height, the head alone being an
inch and three quarters. The head is adorned with tresses
forming a succession of undulating rolls, which descend,
in a thick mass, to the shoulders, and a small portion of
the hair is turned over from the back of the head on to the
crown. The profile is prominent, but the nose is broken ;
the forehead is low, and sloping back; the eye-brows are
much arched, and the eyes are very large and full, and the
eye-balls strongly marked. There is a broad round band
round the lower part of the neck. Altogether this head and
bust has an appearance ver)" foreign to India, and I believe
It to be Indo-Scythian.

Of the second small terra-cotta female figure, the upper
half remains, down to the waist, but it is much smaller
than the other figure above described, it being only 2^
inches in height. I consider this small female figure to
be an imitation of Grecian art, as every characteristic about
it is of a Grecian type. The head of this figure is turned
slightly round to one side, as if the face were looking towards
some object, and the eyes appear to be looking in the same
direction. The head is gracefully set on the shoulders, which
are very sloping, and the bust is very prominent. The face
is still rather pretty, although the nose lias become somewhat
flattened and worn. The mouth is small. The eyes are long
and the pupils well marked, but the exterior lines of the
eyelids are rather clumsily and coarsely marked. The fore-
head is very fiat and receding. The front hair is formed into
a wreath 01 fiat round curls, which descend to the shoulders.
The back hair is twisted up into a large Grecian knot. The
ears are covered by the hair, but large bulky ear-rings are
visible. There is a fringed ornamental band which passes
across in front of the lower part of the neck, and which looks
very much like a lady’s collar. I think that this small female
figure may very probably have been an Indo-Scythic imitation
of Grecian art.

^ I obtained also a very curious flat-shaped human face,
in ’ terya-cotta^ 4|- inches in length, or about one-third of
life size, and which ^ must^ have been broken off from some
terra-cotta statue, in relief, which would not have been
less 'than 2 feet in height. This head is decidedly Bud-
dhist, as it is surmounted by a characteristic Buddhist head-
dress, the puffy folds of which cun^e inwards towards the
centre of the fore-head On the middle of the upper
VOL XII ^

CENTRAL DOAB AND GORAKPUR IN 1874-75 & 1875-76 51

shaped, chaupar or pachtst pieces, made of burnt clay.^ Of
the fragments of ornamentally-moulded or carved bricks which
I found at Inddr^ some bore floral patterns, others lozenge-
shaped figures, and some a series of small oblortg squares,
breaking bond.

I also found a good many sculptures in stone at Indor,
but most of these were of small size. The largest sculptures
were the following : —

A gurgoylej or stone spout, terminating with an animal's
head, with open mouth, like that of a Hon or tiger. Length,
I foot 5 inches ; thickness, 7 inches ; width, 8 inches ; in
red sand-stone. This must have belonged to some temple.

A dark-coloured -stone, with some small human figures
sculptured on it. Length, 2 feet 9 inches ; breadth, i foot ;
thickness, 4 inches. Probably a fragment of some old temple
destroyed.

A sculptured block of hankar stone, which, from its ap-
pearance, probably belonged to the side of an ancient gate-
way, as it was dug up at a spot where one of the gates of
ancient Indrapura must once have stood. This stone is
ornamented \vith a handsomely-sculptured leaf and scroll
pattern.

A figure of a female divinity, in a sitting position, with an
attendant figure standing by her side, and in the act of
presenting a vessel of water, to fill a cup ■which the sitting
female divinity holds in her right hand. This sculpture is in
bold relief, on a square slab of red sand-stone, i foot 2
inches in' height, by 1 1 inches in width, and inches in
thickness.

The bust of a female figure, in red sand-stone, which has
lost the head and the lower portion of the body. - This frag-
ment of sculpture is 6| inches In height by 8 inches in width
across the shoulders.

Of the small sculptures in stone, it will be unnecessary for
me to enumerate the whole, and I shall therefore only des-
cribe those which arc in any way remarkable or interesting.
The largest of these smaller sculptures represents a five-
beaded, four-armed divinity, sitting upon a goose. In the

• Since writing the above, I have obtained two other small curiosities worth
mentioning, .IS they are both inscribed. One of them is a piece of glazed pottery,
or rude China-ware, which is inscribed with six tetters The other is a fragment of
a shell ornament, with two copper rivets run 'through it, and inscribed with a few
characters- [The piece of white glazed crockery seems to me to be dated in the
year 827. The two latter figures arc quite certain. See plate VII, fig. 2.— /I, C«»-
ntngham ]

52

REPORT OF TOURS IN THE

upper right hand there is a thick, short, conical-shaped club.
The lower right hand grasps the string and arrow of a bo^Y,
the bow itself being held by the lower left hand. The upper
left hand holds an object which looks something like a
mason’s square. This sculpture is in red sand-stone.
Height, lo inches ; breadth, 6 inches.

The next most interesting of the small sculptures are
three pieces executed on somewhat thin fragments of a kind
of stone like blue and grey slaty limestone. One of these is
4^ inches in length by 2f inches in width. This sculpture
represents a beautiful and well-executed figure of an ante-
lope in a sitting position. To the rear of the antelope
there is a circular lotus flower, with a bud appearing above
it. There is the remains of an iron nail, or rivet, in the
stone, which pierces the lower edge of the stone through
and through. Another of these fragments has the lotus
flower and bud repeated, but this time in front of an antelope’s
head, the body of which is broken away. The third frag-
ment bears the full figure of an elephant, and the half figure
of a tiger, which, when perfect, must have been as big as
the elephant. The tiger is represented as springing up, with
open mouth, towards the elephant’s head, and one of the
tiger’s paws is placed against the elephant’s trunk. The
upper • portions, or upper edges, of all these three frag-
ments, are distinctly curved, and the degree of curve is
the same on each fragment; and the lower line on which
the animals stand is curved in the same manner. Now these
curves, if continued in the same degree, would form a circle.
I therefore believe these three pieces to be fragments of the
outer edge, nr ornamented border, or rim, of one single, thin
circular stone disc, or chakra,, which must once have formed a
glory, or nimbus, round or at the back of the head of a large
statue, such, for instance, as the circular discs which are
always found attached to the back of the head of standing
figures of Buddha. In this instance, therefore, the circular
stone disc, of which these three fragments once formed apart,
must have been adorned with an ornamentally-sculptured
border band, representing, in alternate succession, figures of
antelopes, lotus flowers, elephants, and tigers ; and there may
have been other kinds of animals and devices represented on
other fragments of the stone which are lost and wanting.
But as there is the remnant of an iron nail, or rivet, passing
completely through the lower broken portion of one of these
fragments, I think that the Avhole sculpture, when entire, along

CENTRAL DOAB AND GORAKPUR IN 1874-75 & 1875-76. 53

with the Statue to which it was attached, must have formed
a large has-veltef, which was attached to the wall of some
building by iron rivets.

I also obtained a small and much mutilated but interest-
ing fragment of sculpture, in white sand-stone, which repre-
sented simply the fingers only of the left hand of a statue
of Btiddha, grasping a fold of drapery. ] udging by the size
of the fingers, the statue to which they belonged must have
been at least one-third, or perhaps one-half, of life-size.
There cannot be the slightest doubt whatever about the
identification of this fragment as a portion of the left hand
of an erect statue of Bhuddha, grasping a fold of the drapery
of his dress, as the hand occurs exactly in this position in
every statue that has- ever been found which represents Bud-
dha standing, in the attitude of teaching, with the right hand
raised, and the left hand holding up the skirt of his dress.
This mere fragment is therefore a perfectly sufficient proof
that a large statue of Bttddha must once have existed at Indor,

I may also here notice two small flat fragments of sculp-
ture, found at Indor, each of which retained only the head
portion of a human figure, very neatly executed, in what ap-
pears to be a kind of slaty limestone. One of these is very
finely finished, and represents, apparently, a Buddhist head
(or perhaps even a head of Buddha) under a sort of rounded
canopy on which there is a sort of rayed figure, like the sun,
very shallowly engraved. The face has very regular, straight
features, and the head is surmounted by a round-topped head-
dress, apparently representing folds of cloth, one above the
other, and getting smaller and smaller towards the top, and
three folds, or lappets, hang down on either side over the
ears, The other small head has the half of a rayed disc,
or glory, behind it ; but the head-dress is peculiar, it having
very much the appearance of a flat-topped fur cap, with trian-
gular lappets hanging down over the ears. To the right, the
head of some animal appears from behind.

Another small sculpture, in black slaty limestone, repre-
sents the figure of a rhinoceros.

Another fragment of sculpture, in red sand-stone, repre-
sents apparently a Hindu Kumbha or water-vessel, with a
bunch of undulating objects spreading forth out of the top,
or mouth, of the vessel. The central portion of the bunch
is almost like part of an ornamental floral Buddhist trisxll ;
but one of the outer portions, to the right, appears to termi-
nate with the head of an animah

54

REPORT OF TOURS IN THE

I also found a small fragment of sculpture, bearing the
■figures of three of the Avatars of Vishnu, namely, the
Narasingha Avatdr, with the head broken off; Matsya
Avatar; and the Vardha Avatdr, of which only the head re-
.mained.

In my excavations at Indor I came upon many ancient
foundations of buildings, and .the remains of ruined buried
walls, which were composed of very large bricks — the largest
.of the entire specimens of these ancient bricks measured
I foot 8 inches in length, by inches in breadth, and 2^
-inches in thickness. A somewhat wider, but shorter, brick
measured i foot 4 inches in length, by 10 inches in breadth,
and ,2^ inches in thickness. But I also found fragments of
.much thicker .bricks, one of which measured 10 inches in
ibreadth by 4 inches in thickness. The original lengthy of
this brick could not be ascertained on account of its being
(broken. At the southern edge of the great khera^ some
wedge-shaped bricks were dug up, which must have belonged
,to some circular building. These bricks measured i foot
and I inch in length, by g^ inches across at the broadest end,
and inches across at the narrow end, and 2^ inches in
thickness. I also got a curious square brick, with a circle
described on one face of it, and a round hole pierced through
the centre ; while on the other face of the brick there are
four round, ^ equi-distant hollows near the corners, which do
not penetrate through.

There were, however, some of these ancient bricks which
deserve special notice by themselves on account of the pecu-
liar marks which were impressed on them, namely, the im-
pressions of the feet of living beings which had. trodden on
these bricks when they were in a soft state, probably some
two thousand years ago ! One of the largest and most ancient
of these bricks bore the impression of the whole of one paw,
and part of another, of a leopard. The indentation of the sharp
claws, reaching beyond, and in front of the soft parts of the
toes, was perfectly ^ distinct. The impression of the entire
paw measured 3-! inches in length by 2| inches in breadth.
We thus learn that in ancient times there were leopards in
the neighbourhood of Indraptira, and that, during the night,
they actually walked over the soft bricks which the brick-
rnaker had been making during the day. Another brick had
t e marks of two paws, probably of a wolf, but perhaps of
a young leopard. One of the impressions was very plain,
while the other was indistinct. One of the paws had been

CENTI^AL DOAB AND GOHAKPUU IN 1874*75 1875*76. 55

drawn side -ways by the animal, along the surface of the brick,
lea\ing the slur of one of the toes and the score of one of
the claws. The most perfect of these foot* prints measured
2.^ inches in length by 2^ in breadth. Another brick bore
the impressions of the hoofs of a deer (probably a Sambur)
and its young one. I judge by the shape and size of the
larger hoof-mark that it must have belonged to a large deer,
and not to an antelope. The larger hoof-mark measured 2}
inches in length by nearly 2 inches in breadth, while the
smaller hoof-marks of the young one measured only an inch
and a half in length by an inch to an inch and a quarter in
breadth. Another brick, part of which was broken away, but
which was 4 inches in thickness, had three curved lines mark-
ed on it by the fingers of the brick- maker ; but between two
of these cun'cd lines there was the distinct print of the hoof
of either a goat or an antelope, and there was a fainter im-
pression of a second hoof alongside of it. Another brick
had actually been broken in two by the spring of an ante-
lope; for the brick was broken with a rough, fractured edge,
just where the animal's hoof had penetrated deeply into the
soft clay, and this fracture was ancient 1 The print of the
hoof actually cuts down the broken side of the brick to the
depth of two inches ! Now, nothing but the springing bound of
an antelope upon the brick when in a soft state could have
done this ! One might therefore almost suppose that the
leopard, the print of whose paws and claws I found on another
brick, Avas in pursuit of an antelope which, in making a des-
Ucyj.o.d to. e.scojjyi, li.gb.teri aa Uvi taT,\ at a. lurick. o.o.d
broke it in two I But perhaps the most interesting of the
bricks which \vere marked in this manner was one which bore
the print of a small human foot, probably the foot of a child.
This human foot-print measured only 7 inches in length by
over 3 inches in breadth at the spread of the toes. Now, on
comparing the measurement of this human foot-print with the
dimensions of my own foot, I found that my own foot measured
9^ inches in length by 3 A inches at its greatest breadth, under
the ball of the foot. The foot-print on the brick is therefore
that of a very short human foot, which is remarkably broad
in proportion to its length ; for I found that the foot of a
native woman, w^hich was measured by my direction, measured
84 inches in length by 3^ inches in breadth at the spread of
the toes ; while the foot of a native man measured 10 inches
in length by 3J to 3^- inches in breadth at the spread of the
toes. From these facts, therefore, I conclude that the

REPORT OF TOURS IN THE

56

human foot-print on the brick must have been that of a boy
or a girl who had always gone bare-footed, which caused
an excessive spread of the foot in proportion to its length.
And one might imagine that the brick-maker’s son or daughter
had accidentally trodden upon a soft brick which he had
just made. As this human foot-print was on one of the
very largest and most ancient bricks dug up in a very deep
excavation, it must have been that of a young person who
lived probably about two thousand years ago.

The great Khbra mound of Indor is in outline a sort of
irregular oblong, with slightly-curved sides and rounded
angles. From the upper edge on one side to the upper edge
on the other it measured about 850 feet from north to south,
by about 1,250 feet from east to west ; while, from near the
bottom of the slope on one side, to near the bottom of the
slope on the other side, it measured about 950 feet across
from north to south, by about 1 ,350 to i ,400 feet from east
to west. The perpendicular height of this great Khbra
mound, at the highest point, towards the east, cannot be less
than about fully 70 feet at least above the surrounding fields ;
while, at .other parts, towards the north and south, its per-
pendicular height varies from 40 to 50 and 60 feet. The
mean height of the great Kh^ra mound may therefore be
taken to be about 55 feet. The highest part of the Khbra
mound runs like a ridge along the centre from east to west,
and the highest points are towards the east and west re-
spectively. ^ Towards the eastern part of the Khbra, and to
the south side of the village, there was a high conical crest,
or mound, on the very top of the Kh^ra, which was visible
from a great distance.^

The present small village of Indor is situated on the east-
north-eastern side of the great Kh^ra mound, part of the
village being on the upper edge of the Khbra mound and
part down the slope, and the village runs down the slope
until it meets the fields below. But the village occupies a total
area of only about 500 feet from east to west, by about 500
feet from north to south.

^ deep sloping hollow on the western side of
the Khfera mound, which represents the site of one of the
ancient g^^tes of the city of Indrapura, and at the side of this
10 low f nng up a large ornamentally-carved block of kankar
stone, which, from its appearance, must have belonged to one

Note,— I say " was,” because this mound was excavated by me.

CENTRAL DOAB A.ND GORAKPUR IN i 874-75 & J 875-76. 57

of the side corners of the ancient gateway. There is another
low depression, and also a very deep nalla, or ravine, cutting
down the whole length of its centre, on the north-north-east-
em side of the Kh^ra mound, where a second gate of the
ancient city certainly stood, and the outer entrance to which
appears to have been defended by an out-work, consisting of
a curtain wall and a bastion, some ruined traces of which still
remain. As there' is also a sort of concavity, or curved in-
dentation, on the eastern side, just about the centre of the
present village,' I believe that there must have been a third
• gateway at this point which would about face towards the
present high road which runs between Anflpshahar and Koel.
There is also a fourth depression on the south side of the
Kh^ra.

I consider that ancient Indrapiira must have been a
fortified city, or rather a great earthwork platform, surround-
ed by a parapet wall along the upper edges, to which a lower
outer faussebraie, or raoni, was afterwards added ; and that
a compact, closely-built town, with a citadel and palaces to-
wards the eastern end, was contained within. Of the original
upper wall nothing whatever now remains ; but wherever
excavations have been made at the upper edge of the great
mound, or wherever any portions of the bank have been cut
away by heavy rains, traces of an ancient wail, composed of
large bricks (generally without mortar) have been found.
At fout points below the northern edge there are detached
ruined fragments of a lower outer fortification wall, which I
consider to have constituted a faussebraie, or raoni, added at
a much later period, as the bricks are small and embedded
in masses of tough mortar. This portion of the fortification
may probably hav^e been added by the Dor Rajas. But it
does not seem to have ever been completed, and, as I stated
before, only a few detached ruined fragments of it remain.

The old fortified city of Indrapura could never have been
hollow within, that is, the houses of the city could never
have been situated on low ground enclosed within any
ramparts higher than the interior area, and the houses could
never have been hidden by the outer fortifications ; but the
ancient city would seem to have been situated on an interiorly
high raised earthwork platform, so that the tops of the houses
must have overlooked, or been visible from outside, over the
fortifications. And as prolonged and successive inhabitation,
or perhaps even several successive cities, built the one over
the ruins of the former, created a constant and ever-increas-

REPORT OF TOURS IN THE

58

inff accumulation of debris, the middle of the plateau gradu-
ally increased in height until it became much higher than
the sides. And now the central portion of the great Khera
mound of Indor is actually much higher than the sides,
except at two points near its eastern and western ends,
where the greatest elevation approaches towards the edges.
Now this peculiarity of the most ancient Hindu fortified sites,
situated on plains, namely, that the centre of the fortress
is not a hollow, or not lower within than the fortifications
without, or, in other words, that there is no outer encircling
rampart higher than the area within, but that the centre-
is either almost even with, or about on a level with,^ the sides,
or, if anything, slightly more elevated than the sides, as in
the case of Sankara on the Budh Ganga ; or that the mid-
file is higher than the sides, as in the case of Indor ; or that
the raised earth-work rises by successive step-like terraces,
or gradations, from the sides towards the centre, as in the
case of Tawhar-pur near Ahar, or as in the case of a small
portion remaining of some kind of a step-like fortification at
Nagar, in Rajputana; — this peculiarity, I repeat, I hold to be
a characteristic of one of the most ancient forms of Hindu
fortification, applicable either to fortified towns, such as
Indrapura was, or as Lakhanu (near Hatras) still- is, or to
separate forts, such as the old fort of Sankara, or to sacred
sites requiring defence, such as Tawhar-pur.

I mentioned previously that on the very top of the great
Kh^ra of Indor, towards the eastern, or rather east-south-
eastern part of it, and close to the south side of the present
village of Indor, there was a conspicuous, nearly circular,
conical-shaped mound. This mound had a mean diameter of
about 80 feet, giving a circumference of about 240 feet. The
perpendicular height of the mound at the centre, before I
made any excavations in it, was about 20 feet. Thinking,
from the shape and general appearance of the mound, that it
might possibly contain the remains of a Buddhist stupa, I
commenced to make excavations in the top of it ; but I was
greatly surprised to find instead that I had uncovered the
remains of, perhaps, the most extraordinary building that the
constructive ingenuity of man could possibly devise. I can-
not describe the plan of this building better'than by saying .
that it exhibited a perfect net-work of walls, of all shapes -
and sizes, crossing one another and running in all directions,
without any kind of regularity whatever, and apparently not -
applicable to any known kind of building, or to any possible

CENTRAL DO AD AND GORAKPUR IN 18^.75 & 59

purpose that could be dreamed of. And, moreover, the
interspaces, or small chambers (if they could be so called),
between the intercrossing walls were of all shapes and sizes,
and not one of them of any regular shape, or that could sen.'C
any known purpose whatever, some of them being many-sided
and of an irregular shape, others having four unequal sides,
others triangular, others having either one or two of the sides
slightly curved, and one being of a long, narrow, oblong shape.
But it is a fact worthy of remark that not one of these small
chambers had any communication whatever with any of the
others ; but that they were all completely divided off from
one another by the intciaening walls. In a space of about
35 feet square, I counted about fourteen different walls, and
about ten separate small chambers. Of the walls, the thickest
was about 8 feet in breadth ; another was 5 feet in breadth ;
another varied in breadth from 3 feet 6 inches to 2 feet
4 inches ; another wall, which ran due north and south, was

3 feet 9 inches in breadth towards the two ends, but it had a
projection about the middle, on the cast side, which made it

4 feet 9 inches in breadth at that part. Two other nails
were respectively 2 feet 3 inches and 2 feet in breadth, and
the narrowest wall was i foot 9 inches in breadth. Of the
small chambers, or hollow cells, or interspaces between the
walls, some were of ver}' small dimensions, and all of differ-
ent and very irregular shapes. The dimensions of the small-
est of them was 6 feet 3 Inches by 5 feet 5, by 4 feet,
by I foot 6. Another was 10 feet, by 8 feel 9 inches, by
6 feet, by 2 feet. Another had two straight sides, and a third
side cropked, or turning off, about the middle, uTth a short
cuiA'cd angle outwards, and then running on again straight,
the two straight ^sides being 7 feet 5 inches and 4 feet, res-
pectively ; and the third side running for 5 feet in a straight
line, then turning at a short angle for 1 foot 4 inches, and
then running again straight for 3 feet 9 inches. One long
narrow interspace, between the only two walls that ran paral-
lel, was only i foot 5 inches in width, by 22 feet in length to
where it was cut off at each end by two other cross walls.
Another chamber was triangular, the sides measuring res-
pectively 20 feet, by feet 5 inches, by 7 feet 2 inches.
The largest was 29 feet m length by about 14 in breadths

There was a remarkable peculiarity about the longest
and the most central of the walls, which ran in a direction,
by the compass, from north-north-east-one-quarler-north-
east to south-south-west-one-quarter-south-west. The total

6o

REI’OUT OF TOl'RS IN TIIF

iencrlh of this wall was nearly 25 fe*^l, with a breadth of
abolit ^ feet and upwards; and four walls, enclosmtc three
small cells or chambers, branched off from it, at various
anrdes and at different points, on its west-north-western sides,
and an equal number of walls branched off in various* ftinre-
tions, from nearly one point, on its emst-south-e-asiern sioe.
This main wall was perpendicular on its east-south-eastern
side, but its wcst-norlh-western side sloped outvva.rdly, dov/n-
wards, with a gradual step-like batter, and this sloping side-
descended thus into three separate cells, or small chambers.
And, moreover, a short wall, 4 feet thiyk at top, and
which was cut off by another wall at a distance of otdy 4
feet, had a similar sloping bailer on its southern side,
while it was perpendicular on its northern side-. What could
be the purpose of this sloping baiter on ()ne side only
of two cross walls, and where these sloping side-s dtescended
into a scries of small enclosed pit-like cells, it is diincuU to
imagine. In fact, this whole confusefl net -work of walls of
all shapes and sizes, was a complete puzzle to me.

On making further excavations in this mound/ other walls
were discovered, extending still further, in various directions.
Numerous ornamentally-moulded bricks were also dug up.
Some of these bricks bore floral devices; others represented
small corbels or brackets ; and there were a grt.-al number
of bricks cut, or moulded, into several sides, and which must
evidently have once belonged to an octagonal pillar built
of brick.^

Almost on the very centre of the great Khera, there is an
elevated, rectangular, oblong-shaped mound, 'which measured
130 feet in length from north to south by 90 feet in breadth
from east to west. I made an excavation in this mound, and
immediately came upon a pavement formed of squared blocks
of kankar overlaid with a thick coating of mortar. I cut
through this pavement, and excavated to a considerable
depth, but without finding anything, except old bricks, pottery,
and a small fragment of sculpture^ and also one corroded coin.
This great oblong-shaped mound is evidently the site of some
former large building, of middle age, which may have been
either a palace or a masjid.

* Note. 1 was informed that in the top surface of the mound, .a circul.ar
plattorrn of masonry was discovered some years ago, wliicli covered over the cells
and walls beneath, which remained as they were until I cleared them out. But
bdcl« ^ Se'e I^at upper platform piecemeal for the sake of the

CENTRAL DOAB AND GORAKPUR IN »S 74 * 7 S 1875-70. 6 l

There Is another vcrj’ high point, on the great Khfira,
about 3CXJ feet in, from its north-western end ; and the ground
about this point is full of bricks, and the remains of founda-
tions of buildings. Close to this there was a square ruined
building, which had originally' been surmounted by a low
dome, which liad fallen in. This building was 18 feet square
exteriorly, and bad walls 3 feet 8 inches in thickness. It was
built of small bricks, with strong mortar. Tins building is
said to have been built over a satti. I had this building
repaired and temporarily roofed in for my own use.

At the liead of the great nalla, or ravine, which runs
down towards the north-north -cast-a-quartcr-north -cast, and
95 feet distant towards the north from tlie great oblong
mound before mentioned, there is a small shrine, or temple,
about 8 feet square, which contains a lingarn of Maliadeo.
This shrine appears to be only of middle age.-

In the eastern side of the great nalla, or ravine, before
mentioned, which runs down the north-north-eastern side of
the Kh^jra, 1 made some excavations, and at a depth of
nearly 18 feet from the top surface, I laid bare the walls of
an ancient building which were composed of veiy’ large
ancient Hindu bricks, which measured from i foot 4 to 1 foot
9 inches in length, by 9I- inches in breadth, and 2^ inches in
thickness. It was an irregular-shaped building, with a re-
entering angle on the south-eastern side, and appeared to
have been originally surrounded by a high outer wall. The
w'alls of this building were 2 feet 3 inches in thickness. The
ot the. c/ioXcoJ. hjJLildiwg tb/i

ments: — 13 feet 7 inches, by 9 feet 6 inches j the two re-
entering sides measuring, respectively, 6 feet and 4 feet 10
inches. The entrance was on the northern side. I w'ould
conjecture that this ancient building may have been the house
of a military ofiicer in charge of the guard of the northern
gate ofjhe ancient fortified city of Indrapfira, as it imme-
diately faced the point where the gate must have stood. In
a higher fragment of outer wall, which rose close to the
southern side of the building, there were three or four of the
lower courses of bricks, set nearly on end, in a slanting
direction, which may have been intended to prevent the slid-
ing down of a wall built on a slope.

On the southern side of Indor Kh^ra there is an indigo
factory.

Having now described everything worthy of notice on
the great Kh^jra itself, I will now proceed to the notice

62

report of tours in the

of four mounds which lie out in the fields to the noith-
north-east. At the distance of about 137 feet from the north-
north-eastern side of the great Kh^ra of Indor, an apparently
ancient narrow causeway road, paved with bricks, commences.
This road runs nearly due north for about 300 feet until it
meets the course of the Choya Nadi. The channel of this
small water-course is about 45 feet broad at this point, but it
is only filled with water during the rains, while at other times
. of the year it remains dry. During the rains, however, this
channel becomes a torrent, and the water often floods the
surrounding fields. The Choya Nadi has two sources, or
main feeders ; namely, one which rises to the north of Say-
anah, to the north-north-east of the Bulandshahar District,
and runs past Malikpur and Indor. The other, or western
feeder, rises somewhere to the north of the Bulandshahar
District, near Bah^darnagar, and runs past Aurangiibad and
Danpur. These two feeders form a junction to the south-
west, near Dhubhai ; and the Choya Nadi runs thence until
it joins the Kali Nadi, half-way between Koriaganj and
Khasganj .

But to return to the eastern branch, or feeder, of the
Choya Nadi, which runs a little over 600 feet to the north of
Indor Kh^ra. One hundred and twenty-three feet to the
' north of the Choya Nadi, and 737 feet to the north-north-
east from Indor Kh^ra, there is a mound, full of fragments
of old bricks, which measured 130 feet from east to west,
by 1 18 feet from north to south. Eighty -five feet to the
west-north-west from the last-named mound there is another
small mound, which measured about 45 feet across each
way. Again, 140 feet to the east-south-east from the larger
mound first mentioned, there is a third much smaller mound,
which measured 39 feet by 32 feet along two of its sides.
Lastly, 400 feet to the north-a-quarter-north-north-east from
the first-named large central mound, there is a fourth mound,
which_ measured 95 feet by 77 feet across. This last mound
occupies the apex of a nearly isosceles triangle, with the two
smaller mounds at each of the other two angles, and the largest
mound standing on the base. Two of these four mounds are
traditionally said to have been the sites of ancient buildings,
probably of temples ; and I should not wonder if one of them
should eventually turn out to have been the site of a temple of
some kind, or perhaps even of a Buddhist stupa. At any rate,
two of the mounds are full of fragments of old bricks, and it
was from near one of these mounds that I obtained a sculpture,

CENTRAL DOAB AND GORAKPUR IN 1874-75 & 1875-76. 63

in red sand-stone, of a five-headed divinity previously des-
cribed.^ These four mounds are situated exactly opposite to
the spot where the northern gate of the ancient city of Indra-
pto must once have stood. One of the smaller mounds
appears to be principally composed of ashes, and may probably
therefore be the remains of a pazawah, or pazaya, or a kiln
where either bricks or pottery were burned.

About 300 feet to the east from the village of Indor, in the
fields, near a well and a very large Pipai tree, there is a small
round-topped mound, which measured about 250 feet in circum-
ference, and which is said to have been the site of an ancient
temple. On this mound I found a number of fragments of
sculpture collected together. These consisted of portions of
legs, bodies, and heads of statues, of various sizes, of male
and female divinities, and other smaller sculptures. Judging
by the proportions of the largest fragment, the figure to which
it belonged must have been a statue about half life-size All
the fragments appeared to have belonged to figures of Brah-
manical divinities, with the exception of two, a large head
in red sandstone, and a very small head, with a portion of
the right arm raised, in a kind of slaty limestone, — both of
which appeared to me to be Buddhist.

About 1,550 feet to the north-east from the last-mentioned
mound, and about 1,850 feet to the east-north-east-half-north-
east from the village of Indor, there are the remains of the
sites of two ancient temples, and of an old tank, which is
now dry, and partly ploughed up into fields. These sites are
STtaa\ed un \Viti rA Vnu chaimdi caVicd Vne C’noya

Nadi, and no doubt, at those times when the channel contained
water, it was directed into the old tank. There are also traces
— consisting of some low mounds, and bare ground always left
waste, strewed here and there with fragments of brick — of
there having been some kind of village, or small settlement,
here, formerly — probably a Brahman settlement connected
with the temples ; and the extent of the site on which there
are traces of former habitation, reaches at one point quite up
to the line of road which runs from Anupshahar to Koel. In
fact, the ancient city proper of Indrapura, which was probably
confined by an encircling fortification parapet wall to the
present elevated Khera mound of Indor, most likely constituted
simply the Shahr-panAh of the Kshatriya chief, or raja j whil6

‘ Note— This spot, or localfty, is said to have been the site of a sort of
suburb in ancient limes, and which was anciently called “ Vaidja-pfira.”

REPORT OF TOURS 'IN THE

64

suburbs and hamlets extended out from it, on the lower
ground, on every side.

Of the site now under consideration, the only important
points are the traces of the foundations of two temples
before referred to. These are situated, the one to the north-
west of the other, at the distance of about 350 feet from each
other. The easterly one of the two consists of a slightly-
raised platform of earth and bricks, the sides of which mea-
sured 22 feet by 40. This is probably the site of, some very
ancient temple of pretty large size. On the east side of this
platform there is a portion remaining of the actual found-
ations of an old temple, which form an irregular figure,
with a re-entering angle on the north-west side, making
thus six sides in all, which measured, respectively, 22 feet
by 22, by 10, by 10, by 12 feet. In the centre of this
there is now a large lingam of Mahadev, and the whole
upper surface is plastered with clay. The masonry is hollow
underneath, and the hollow place below may be entered
through a hole by creeping on all fours. In this position
women now perform a sort of peripatetic worship,by creeping
round the interior of the hollow place. Near this there
is a small, low, square, ruined building ; and- a little further
off there is a long-shaped modern building, constituting
a sort of ddldn, or small serai. Both of these buildings are
composed of large ancient bricks, gathered from the spot,
and in the long building I discovered some ornamentally-
moulded or carved bricks.

The other temple site is situated about 350 feet to the
south-east from the above, and on the very edge of what
was once a Tank or pond. On this site there is said form-
erly to have been a temple dedicated to . Siva. There are
now two or three large fragments of masonry, hurled to
one side, as if by some explosion of gun-powder ; but this
may merely have been the work of railway contractors in
search of bricks. The bricks, however, of which the frag-
ments are composed, are small and imbedded in strong
mortar, and therefore I do not think that the destroyed
building can have been older than the eaxly part of the
Muhammudan period. The traces of the foundations mea-
sured 23 feet by 19. It is surrounded on three sides by a
high bank of earth, covering an area of 132 feet by 117
feet.

About 400 feet to the west from this there is a very old
well, built of large ancient bricks, under a pipal tree.

CENTRAL DOAB AND GORAKPUR IN 1874*75 *875*76. J^S

Finally, the last point of particular interest which 1 have
to notice in connection with IndrapCira and its environs, con-
sists of a site, composed of a double range of lower mounds,
situated about 700 feet to the north-west from the great Khbra
of Indor. ’

This site is divided into two parts by a low piece of ground
^ from 350 feet to 400 feet in breadth, and which was evidently
originally a tank ; each of these parts is irregular in shape,
and without any traces of any marked boundaries whatever.
The nearest portion of this site consisted of a circular-shaped
round- topped mound, about 160 feet in breadth, or about 480
feet in circumference, and about 17 feet in height. I was
told that there was an ancient building buried in this mound,
and that some railway contractor had been digging out bricks
,from it. On visiting the spot myself, I found that an ex-
cavation, about 10 feet square, had been made in the top of
the mound, and I found very large-sized ancient Hindu bricks
lying scattered about in every direction. On enlarging this
excavation, I came upon a sort of floor, or pavement, com-
posed of large bricks, and on clearing away this, I laid bare six
walls, which reached to a depth of a few feet further. On
-making further excavations, I found that I was gradually un-
covering the remains of an ancient temple of large size, it
being about 130 feet in length by about 100 feet in breadth,
and f also discovered an ancient well in the temple, rvhich
I cleared out ; and I found a great number or sculptures of
various ages, the most of which I obtained from the well,
and some from various parts of the temple.

From the west and north-west side of this mound, a piece
of sloping ground, covered with fragments of brick and
pottery, extends for about 375 feet in length, with a varying
breadth of from 80 to 100 feet. . Upwards of 200 feet to the
south, from the first mound above described, there is another
mound which measured 125 feet in length by no feet in
breadth. ^ Ninety-six feet to the south-south-east from the
last-named mound there is an ancient well, built of large bricks.
The whole extent of this portion of the site, from north to south,
including the two mounds and the sloping ground covered
with bricks, is about 614 feet ; but including the well, it is 718
feet, with a breadth of about 240 feet from south-east to
north-west.

, ’ 1 also excavated this second lesser mound, and found that it contained the

remains of two small temples composed of large ancient bncksand also five human
skeletons.

VOL. XU

5

66

REPORT OF TOURS IN THE

The portion 'of the site above described is bounded on
the north-west and west-north-west by a low piece of ground ,
.400 feet in breadth, which, as I have previously stated, must
originally have been a pond or tank of water.

On the further side, about 500 feet to the west-north-west
from this site, there are the remains^ of an old well of large
size, 20 feet in diameter, and constructed of brick masonry,
which has fallen in and filled, it up. Next, 1,850 feet to the
north-north-west from this well and 3,400 feet, or a little
over two-thirds of a mile, to the north-west-half-north-north-
west from Indor Khfera, there is an old village called “ Cln-
maoli” or “ Chimdwali^^ which is situated on a broad mound,
about 500 feet from the right bank of the Choya Nadi. Now
I would venture to conjecture that the name of this old
village, “ ChimdwaliN might be a corruption of “ Pack’-
chhimdldya” meaning “ the western habitation^'' so named
from its being situated westerly from Indraptira. At the
same time, however, '' Chhinidwali” would mean “ the par-
doned" qx exempted lineage" and Chhim-dldya'' would
mean “ the exempted habitation," while “ Chimi-dldya " would
mean “ the abode of parrots.”

It has struck me as somewhat remarkable and unaccount-
able that two Such ancient places of importance as Indrapura
and Dhubhai, or Dhundhgarh, as well as the ancient village
of Chimaoli, should be situated on the banks of such a small
and insignificant water-course as the eastern branch of the
Choya Nadi ; while, again, Chandokh also (founded by Raja
Chand) is situated on the western branch, or feeder, of the
same small stream, which is dry at all times of the year,
except during the rains ; while the neighbouring, and much
larger, K^li Nadi offered a much better and more advantageous
site. My belief, therefore, is that the Choya Nadi must anci-
ently have been much larger, and a more permanent stream,
than it is now. The eastern branch, or feeder, of the Choya
Nadi, on which Indor, or “ Indrapura,” stands, also, in the
upper part of its course, passes within 4 miles of Ahar. I
therefore think it is just possible that the eastern branch, or
feeder, of the Choya Nadi may, in fact, be the remains of
an ancient channel of the Ganges.

My own experience in the forests of North America has
shown me that certain kinds of streams, or small rivers, con-
tinue to exist only so long as the forests are permitted to exist ;
and that, when the forests are cut down, these streams
gradually dwindle away and dry up, and finally disappear

CENTRAL DOAB AND GORAKPUR IN 1874-75 & 187S-76. 67

altogether. This accounts for the number of old “ beaver
meadows/^ or dried up *''' beaver dams " which may be seen
on new farm lands in North America, and which always
constitute the best meadows, or grass patches, for the
farmers who purchase new land. Now, it will be remembered
that, in the early portion of this report, I mentioned that I
had dug up some large ancient bricks at Indor, one of which
bore the impressions of the feet and claws of a leopard
or panther, while another bore the impression of the feet
of some large kind of deer. Now, neither leopards nor
large deer would be found where there was no forest for
cover. It is evident, therefore, that there must have been
some large tract of forest in the neighbourhood of Indraphra,
in ancient times, and where there was dense forest of con-
siderable extent there would also be a superabundance of
water, such as pools and swamps, and numerous rivulets ;
and then, in that case, the Choya Nadi would be a peren-
nially-running river of considerable size, instead of the
miserable little dried up channel which it is now.^

The excavations made at Indor Kh6ra during the cold
season of 1874-75 consisted principally in the opening of
three large mounds which lay respectively in the fields to the
west and to the north of the great Kh^ra. Two of the
mounds which lay to the west were known under the tradi-
tional names of Kundanpfira and AhirpAra, while the prin-
cipal mound to the north bore the traditional name of Var-
dyapdra. These I will now describe.

KUNDANPURA MOUND.

Kundanpura mound, which I have also named the Great
Temple Mound, on account of the remains of an extensive
block of temple buildings which the excavations in this mound
brought to light, is situated about 700 feet to the north-west
from the great Kh^ra of lnd6r. This mound measured originally
about 1 75 feet across from south-east to north-west, by about
no feet from north-east to south-west, or nearly 600 feet in
circumference. When this mound was completely opened and
thoroughly cleared by excavations, I found that I had laid

* My opinion as to the eastern branch of the Choya Nadi having formerly
been the bed of a large river, or an ancient bed of the Ganges, has since received
confirmation from a further personal examination of the bed higher up, as well
as from the observation of others At a village called BaktSri, about 3 miles to
the north -north-west from Indor, the course of the Choya Nadi runs through quite
abroad and deep valley, as broad as the main channel of the Ganges; and
mmediately to the east of that the surface of the soil is one mass of sand and
iand.hills, as d left by some great river or sea,

68

report of tours in- the

)32L]*0 3, v6ry extensive 3 .nd 'intric 3 .te building containing 3 .
great number of chambers and compartments. I counted
about 35 chambers. The whole block or mass of building
measured about i6o feet from south-east to north-west, by
about loo feet from north-east to south-west. The building
did not stand in accordance with any of the points of the
compass ; but the greatest length, and the general course of
the majority of the walls, was from south-east to north-west.
Some massive portions of the building, however, faced east-
south-east by west-north-west, and one rather small but high
square pile of masonry stood nearly in accordance with the
four cardinal points.

This mass of building was composed entirely of brick,
the bricks being of various sizes and of various ages, indi-
cating a series of successive buildings of various ages, which
I ascertained, from certain discoveries which I made, to date
from about the time of the upta dynasty, or even earlier,
up to about the loth century.^ Numerous sculptures were
found in various parts of the building in the course of the
' excavations, but principally in an ancient well, which was
discovered a little to the east of the centre of the mound.

From certain discoveries I came to the conclusion that
the oldest building on this spot, to which the largest and
lowest underlying bricks belonged, must have been a Bud-
dhist establishment, or a Buddhist Vihara. This would ap-
pear to have been succeeded by a fire temple, and a temple
dedicated to the sun ; and I believed that I could distinguish
the remains of some receptacles for fire \ and among the
ruins I also found the remains of numerous horn vessels, or
vessels which could only have been used in the ancient horn
worship, or sacrifice of fire. But whether the fire worship
or the worship of the sun was the older of the two, I found
it difficult to decide. Fire-worship was introduced into India
at two different periods, namely, first, by the earlier Sassa-
nians, and secondly, by the later Indo-Sassanians (or
Sassanianised Indians who practised the cultus of fire),
while the fact of the actual founding of a temple dedicated
to the worship of the sun was mentioned in an inscription on
a copper-plate, dated in the time of Skanda Gupta^ which
was found at Indor Kh^ra. I, however, found eleven silver
Indo-Sassanian coins concealed in a small earthen- ware ves-
sel, in an excavation in the midst of these very temple ruins'.

Sec Plate VI for a plan of a portion of these ruins* *

CENTRAL DOAB AND GORAKPUR IN 1874.75 L 1875-76 69

Next in point of time there appears to have been a Brahma-
nical temple, dedicated to the worship of the usual and va-
rious Brahmanical divinities, but pnncipally, apparently, to
the worship of V 2 sh 7 m, as a large image of this latter divinity
was found in the well ; but from the form of two letters en-
graved at the back of the head of this statue of Vishnu, I do
not think that it could be older than about the loth century.
The buildings belonging to this latter Brahmanical temple,
judging from some remarkable warily-curved distortions in the
horizontal line of some of the walls, would appear to have been
destroyed by an earthquake. On the ruins of these buildings
last referred to some small detached Brahmanical shrines
and pavements of a still later date would appear to have been
constructed. These would appear in their turn to have
become ruined and covered with earth, until at length the
whole was buried under a shapeless mound of earth and
debris, and overgrown with grass, weed, and bushes, as I
found it.

The general mass of buildings I found to be exceedingly
irregular in outline, and in its angles, and in the direction
of the walls ; and the whole plan, or design, of the building
was most confused and puzzling. There were numerous
small and deep chambers entirely enclosed within four walls,
without any means of ingress or egress whatever. In the
north-w'estem portion of the building there was a chamber
consisting of three walls up^vards of 4 feet in thickness.
This chamber was again surrounded, at a distance or interv'al
of irom 4 to 6^ ieet, on tViree sides and a part of the
'ourth side, by walls which varied in thickness from 2
eet 4 indies and upwards, on three sides, to i foot 6
nches on part of the fourth side. These outer walls w^ere
lonnected, on two sides, with the inner walls, by four trans-
'erse or cross walls, each i foot 6 inches in thickness,
irhich thus formed three separate enclosed side cells, and
irhich thus entirely cut off, or shut up, the passage round the
hick inner walls. The opening to the inner chamber was
owards the north, and was faced by three small cel I -like
rhambers, which were built inwards from the outer sur-
ounding wall. The opening from the outer surrounding
rails was towards the east, and, strange to say, a perfect
luman skeleton wras found in this opening. Originally, the
>n!y means of egress from this must have been through a
labyrinth of walls, and one would have to turn first towards
the south, then to the east, then to the south again, then to

70

report op tours in the

the east again, then to the south again, then to the east, and
then to the north, until one arrived at a low wall, or raised
platform of masonry, to attain the top of which one would
have to make a leap of about 4 feet in height, and^ from
which a flight of steps descended towards the cast, into a
sort of pit, at the west end of a long-shaped temple-chamber,
in the middle of which there was a high square pedestal of
brick. From the north side of this temple chamber, some-
what towards its eastern end, a narrow passage led first to-
wards the north, and then turned towards the east, by^ which
one at length gained clear egress out of the precincts of
the buildings. Any other course of proceeding, either from
or to the enclosed north-western chamber, would only have
led one into other chambers, or blind passages, from which
there was no means of egress. It is evident, therefore, that
this curions doubly-enclosed or doubly-walled-in chamber
was intended as a labyrinth, which could only be approached,
by a tortuous course, from the interior of the general mass
of buildings.

The other long-shaped temple-chamber referred to above
was situated in the north-western portion of the block of
buildings. This chamber was 21 feet in length by upwards of
7 feet in breadth. A flight of six steps descended into the
end of this chamber from the west-north-west, but into a
sort of shallow oblong-shaped pit. The middle portion of
this chamber was somewhat raised. On this central portion
of the chamber there was a high, somewhat pyramidal-shaped
pedestal of brick, 4 feet 6 inches square at base, and 2
feet 6 inches square at top. There was a raised step at
the eastern side of this pedestal. Between the pedestal
and the wall, on the south side, the life-sized head of a large
statue in red sandstone was found. The statue to which
this head belonged must originally have stood on the pe-
destal in the centre of the long temple-chamber. In the
same place a beautiful bas-relief, in red sand-stone, about i
foot 4 inches in length, was found, which represented six
sitting human figures, like Buddhist Bhikshus. A cul-
vert, or drain of masonry, for the access of water, passed
under the southern wall of the chamber, and then under a
massive platform of masonry, in the direction of the well,
which was situated a little beyond in a south-south-westerly
direction. To the west there was a solid, high, square,
compact mass of masonry; and to the south side of this
there was the remains of a circular- surrounding wall, which

central DOAB and GORAKPUR in 1874-75 & r 87 S- 7<5 7 1

was afterwards over-ridden hy^ a straight wall of later date. I
considered this to be the remains of an interior or dagoha
of some kind, which had been afterwards destroyed by the
succeeding Brahmanical occupants of the temple buildings.

In the eastern part of the general block of buildings,
there were two irregular-shaped and two oblong-shaped, mas-
sive, raised platforms of masonry ; and there was a very large
and similar, but square, platform of massive masonry, close
by, to the south-east.

The great well was situated a little to the east of the
centre of ‘the general mass of buildings, and within "a range
of five of these massive platforms of masonry above described
on the north and east. The well was surrounded by a low
circular wall, about i foot in thickness and 49 feet in cir-
cumference, at the distance of about 4 feet from the mouth of
the shaft of the well.^ The shaft of the well was upwards of
6 feet in diameter. The well was excavated to the depth of
about 30 feet, and had 15 feet of water in it when I left it.
There were the remains of arrangements for receiving the
water drawn from the well into small brick channels fof pas-
sage in various directions. There were also three small cir-
cular cisterns, lined with mortar, sunk within one of the
southern walls of the temple buildings.

To the west side of the general block of buildings there
was the remains of a gateway, the entrance to which had been
guarded by a massive outer curtain wall, of which only the
foundations remained.

I will now describe the sculptures which were

found in the different excavations and in the well of the great
temple mound.

(i) A large life-sized head, io red sandstone, the hair
bound in a large knot at the side of the head, with the end
depending below, over the ear. Its dimensions are — height,
9 inches ; breadth, 8 inches ; depth, backwards, 9 inches. I
believe this to be a head of a statue of “ Buddha Bhtkshu,^* or
Buddha as a mendicant. It was dug up in a long chamber, in
the northern part of the temple, and in the middle of the
chamber there was a square brick pedestal on which the
statue must have stood. I was very much disappointed at
not being able to find the body of this statue, but I believe
that it may probably be lying at the very bottom of the well
in which I found so many other sculptures.

* See Plate VI for a plaa of this well, and of the surrounding ruins.

72

REPORT OF TOURS IN THE

(2) A bas-relief, in red sandstone, displaying six sitting,
human figures, of which the faces of five are broken away,
but the head and face of the sixth figure is perfect and beau-
tifully executed. There is a circular glory behind each head,
and each figure has the right hand raised and holds a sort
of bottle, or “ surai,'' or a narrow-necked vessel of some kind,
in the left hand. It is i foot 4 inches in length, and each figure
is five inches in height. It was dug up in ,the same chamber
in the temple in which the large head was found. ^ It is- cer-
tainly very ancient, and I believe it to be of the time of the
Guptas,

(.3) A curious head of an animal, in red sandstone. It
looks much like the head of a crocodile, but may be that of
a rhinoceros. It has the appearance of having been intended
as a bracket of some kind. This sculpture measures 6-| inches
in length.

(4) A sort of square stone pinnacle ornament, in red
sand-stone, shaped very much like a small Roman altar ; 5^
inches in height, by 4^ inches square. This stone is much
worn, and was fractured by the diggers ; but I got a much
finer and very beautiful, similar, altar- shaped, pinnacle or-
nament, in white sandstone, from the well, which will be after-
wards described.

SCULPTURES FROM WELL IN TEMPLE.

^i) Two-thirds of an architrave of a doorway, .with a
portion of one of the jambs in white sandstone.

Present length .. ... ... 2' 7"

Width of stone ... ... o' 6"

Thickness ... ... ... o' A-h"

Original length... ... ... 4 6"

At what was the centre of the stone, there is a half figure
with large head and smiling face, with the hands held down
in front, palms outwards. Immediately on the right of the
central figure, there is a kneeling figure, worshipping, with
hands joined, and body terminating with a serpent’s tail
coiled. To the left, there are six sitting figures, each with the
right hand raised and the left hand placed downwards - upon
what appears to be a cup or pitcher, or vessel of some kind.
In the left corner there is a squatting figure, holding up a
small club-shaped object in each hand. I should be inclined
to attribute this sculptured architrave to about the fifth cen-
tury of the Christian era.^ . ' '

NinI the Navagraha or

CENTRAL DOAB AND GORAKPUR \N 1874-75 1875-76. 73

(2) A large statue in white sandstone, 3 feet in height.
This statue had originally four arms, and one of the hands
apparently held a kind of sceptre, or ornamental mace or club.
At the back of the head there is a large circular ornamental
flower-shaped ornament, formed of perforated open work. The
head wears’ a high elaborately-ornamented crown. The neck
is adorned with a richly-omaraented double necklace, and the
Brahmanical thread passes over the left shoulder. The w'aist
is adorned with a jewelled belt, from which jewelled pendants
and festoons hang dowm in front. The feet stand upon a
lotus flower, shaped into the form of a cushion, which is sup-
ported below by three small sitting figures- At each side of
the legs of the statue there are standing figures with smaller
kneeling figures at their feet. The upper part of the left side
of the* stone is broken away ; but the upper half of the
right side of the extension of the stone is adorned with three
figures one above the other, the uppermost of which is a
four-armed bearded sitting figure, holding a mace in the
upper right hand and a truncheon in the upper left hand, and
a sort of globe in the lower left band. Next below, there is a
crouching figure. Below the last there is a standing figure
under a snake canopy. On the stone, at the back of the
head, there are the characters “ Di 3.” This statue is pro-
bably a figure of Vishun. It is decidedly the most modern
of all the sculptures which I obtained from the well which I
excavated in the temple mound ; and the architrave, bearing
figures sculptured in bas-relief, previously described, is much
more ancient. \ 60 not t’mn’K t'nat t’ne statue can be dicier
than the ninth or tenth century,

(3) A head, belonging to another statue, which must have
been exactly similar to the one last described.

(4) A head of a statue, wearing a square crown, in white
sandstone. This head is very much worn, and it is evidently
ancient, as the execution of the contour of the face is much
superior to either of the two previously described.

(5) The feet and pedestal, and the upper part of the body
(found separately) of another smaller statue.

(6) The body and legs of a similar small statue in white
sandstone.

(7) A small statue, 10 inches in height by 5 inches in
width, in very dark red sandstone, which has besides been
stained nearly black, probably by the black mud at the bot-
tom of the well. This figure is fully clothed. The garment
which clothes the upper part of the body has a richly-worked

report of tours in the

74

front, like the ornamental front of a shirt, or of a hussar’s
jacket. The legs are clothed in a garment which is tied at the
waist, and which terminates in long points, on either side, below;
and the ankles appear to be incased in some kind of leg-
gings or boots. A scarf hangs over the arms and passes
down in a festoon in front of the legs. This figure has two
arms, and holds a plume in each hand. The ears are very
long and slit, and are pierced at their lower ends with knob-
shaped ear-rings. The features are bold and prominent.
The head is surmounted by a crown. There are two small
figures on each side below, one of which carries a long staff.
I am inclined to attribute this small statue to the time of
the Guptas, both on account of its antique appearance, and
because the dress of the figure bears a remarkable resem-
blance to that worn by the figures represented on the coins
of the Gupta dynasty. This sculpture was found at the very
bottom of the well along with al arge figure of a bull, in
terra-cotta, which will be next described.

(8) A very large figure of a bull, in tei'ra-cotta, which
measured i foot 7 inches in length by i foot in height,
but the head and one of the fore-legs were junfortunately
broken off and lost. This bull figure was adorned with a
long side band from which human heads and bells depended
alternately like a fringe.

(9) A four-armed bearded figure of a divinity, with crown
on head, bearing three curved horns on either side of it.
The figure sits on a throne. There is a crouching figure of
some animal (bird ?) at the side of the right leg, and there
has been an elephant’s head on the left side of the throne,
which is now broken away. In the upper right hand of the
figure there is a sceptre, or mace, while the lower left hand
is turned up, palm outwards, as if to admonish. The upper
left hand holds a broken rectangular object of some kind,
and the lower left hand is placed upon the top of a broken
elephant’s head. To the right of this sitting divinity there
is a small standing figure, holding up a vase-shaped vessel,
or pitcher, with both hands. This vessel is shaped like some
earthenware vessels which were found at the bottom of the
well. The figure stands on a lotus flower, below which there
is some kind of grampus fish, head downwards. To the
right there is the remains of a hollow circular curve, part of
a circle broken away, which shows that this sculpture origi-
nally was an ornament belonging to the left upper side of

CENTRAL DOAB AND GORARPUR IN 1874-75 & 1875-76. 75

some large statue. This sculpture is in white sandstone.
Height 10 inches; breadth from 6 to 8 inches.

(10) A beautiful fragment of sculpture, in yellowish-white
sandstone, displaying a richly-executed expanded flower of
the lotus ^ of which about one-third is broken away. T6 the
right there are three human figures, one above, in a flying
posture, ’holding a bow, or wand, and two below, a male and
female, holding a large wreath in front of them. Length of
sculpture, 10 inches ; height, 7 inches.

(11) A fragment of a circular lotus flower, similar to the
one above described.

(12) A perfect sculpture, in white sandstone, 7^ inches
in height, consisting of a four-armed female divinity, in a
half-sitting position, with the feet placed upon a recum-
bent figure. The female divinity holds a crooked dagger
in the upper right hand and a cup in the lower right
hand. The upper left hand is placed to the mouth, while
the lower left hand holds a dong sceptre. There are two

’ small flying figures on either side above, and two standing
figures, male and female, on either side below.

^(13) A pretty fragment of sculpture, in white sandstone,
6 inches in height, displaying two figures, one of which is
that of a youth with a conical cap, and the other is a human
figure with either a bull’s or lion’s head, and carrying a
pitcher-shaped vessel in the left hand, the form of which
closely resembles that of some of the earthenware vessels
which were found in the well.

(14) A fragment of sculpture, in white sandstone, 6
inches in height, having the half of a human figure wearing
a high-pointed triple tiara, above which there is a head of
an animal resembling that of a dolphin.

(15) A fragment of sculpture, in white sandstone, 7^
inches in height, displaying a youthful human figure down to
the waist, wearing large circular earrings, and with the hair
drawn back, and hanging down behind in massy tresses.

(16) A small human figure, holding disankh shell, in front
of a* portion of the leg of a broken statue, with part of a
kneeling figure to the left, in bluish-grey sandstone.

( 1 7) A very small image, under a canopy, with a circular
wheel-shaped object below, held by a hand from a tassel in
the centre.

(18) A very beautiful circular flower-shaped object, nearly
3 inches in diameter, in greyish-sandstone, with part of a hand
holding it by a band from the centre.

76

■report of tours in the

(19) A beautiful sculptured ornament in yellowish-while
sandstone, 5 inches and one-fifth square by "the same in
height, and shaped like a small Roman altar. This ornament
is small at the middle, and enlarges by regular gradations to-
wards the top and bottom. At each of the four corners
there is an elevated triangular leaf-shaped projection, and
the top surface is covered with a beautifully-sculptured cir-
cular flower, from which four leaves project, which extend to
the four sides of the ornament.

(20) An ornament of exactly the same kind as the above
(No. 19) in terra-cotta, but broader, and flatter in shape.
It has the circular flower and four triangular leaf-shaped
elevated corners. The top and bottom of this terrci-cotta
ornament were found apart, but there was a hole in the
centre of the opposite surface of each part, by which they
had been originally joined together by a pin, so that I was
able to join the two parts together again by simply replacing
the pin with a little glue. This ornament is inches square
by 3 1 inches in height.

It will be remembered that I obtained a broken ornament
of the same kind, in red sandstone, from another part of the
temple, so that I have now three of them, one in red sand-
stone, one in white sandstone, and one in terra-cotta.

(21) A beautifully sculptured triangular-shaped corbel-
bracket, in white sandstone, 9 inches in width by 5 inches
in height. The upper part is ornamented by a beading,
beneath which there is a floral pattern, which is supported
below by a lotus flower, terminating in a pointed knob at
bottom. This sculpture is a perfect model for any school
of art.-

(22) A fragment of sculpture, in white sandstone, 9 inches
in height, representing a standing human figure holding a
round-headed mace or club. There are portions of two other
figures to the right and left.

(^3) beautifully sculptured trisul, with a hooded snake
twining through the prongs of it, in white sandstone.

(24) A hand, open, with a jew’el on the palm, in ^vhite
sandstone.

(25) An animal’s head.

(26 to 31) Six other small fragments of sculpture, in white’
sandstone.

(32) small sculpture, in black stone, displaying two
human figures, a - male and a female, one oh them playing
on a or guitar, R / &

CENTRAL DOAB AND GORAKPUR IN 1874-75 & *875-76. 77

Besides the above, 1 obtained several ornamentally-carved
bricks from the temple, and also several angular-pointed
“ kangiiras " of crenelated battlements of terra-cotta^ or the
same substance as brick. I also found several fragments of
terra-cotta figures, and two large water-spouts made of the
same substance as brick. These ornamentally-carved bricks
and pointed battlements, along Avith the other objects in
terra-cotta which I have mentioned, must have belonged
to a period Avhen brick and terra-cotta ornaments, and evep
terra-cotta statues, entirely usurped the place of stone and
sculptures.

But perhaps the most curious of the many objects of
antiquity which I obtained in clearing out the Avell in the
temple were a number of farge earthenware vessels of various
shapes. The greater number of these vessels w'ere found at
the very bottom of the Avell, beloAV most of the sculptures, so
that they must be very ancient, and some of them were
interesting from the fact that they closely resembled, in shape,
certain vessels held in the hands of some of the figures in
the sculptures.

These earthenware vessels may be described as follows : —

(1) Long oval-shaped pitchers, with pointed bottoms, and
rather narroAV mouths. The most of these measured about
1 1 inches in length by from -i foot 7 inches to i foot 9 inches
in circumference, at ihe belly, and about i foot in circum-
ference at the neck, near the mouth.

(2) Large-bellied, round-bottomed pitchers, 10 inches in
. length by i foot 10 inches in circumference at the belly and

about I foot in circumference at the neck. (One other solitary
specimen, somewhat differing, was 8 inches in height.)

(3) Pitchers Avith flattened bottoms, 7^ inches in height by
I foot 7 inches in circumference at the belly, and lof inches
in circumference at the neck.

(4.) Pitchers with bases to stand upon at bottom, Avhich
measured from 8^ inches to 9 inches in height, by from i foot
8 inches to i foot 9 inches in circumference, at the belly,
by about 1 1 inches in circumference, at the neck, near the
mouth. These are the vessels Avhich resemble those held in
the hands of some of the figures in the sculptures.

(5) Smaller sized, rather squat-shaped vessels, someAvhat
resembling earthenware lotas.

(6) Large round-bellied vessels, with spouts, ornamented
Avith lines and bead- shaped dots, and spangled Avith mica
dust. Height about 9 nches. Circumference at belly 2 feet

REPORT OF TOURS IN THE

78

inches, circumference 3 .t neck about 1 1 inches, length of
spouts about inches.

From the temple I also obtained some small, strongly-
made vessels with spouts, and also three I'Iodi ^ vessels, or
vessels used for burning incense in the Horn sacrifice. These
Horn vessels were narrow at the middle, like an hour-glass,
and spread out wide at the top and bottom, and had handies
at the sides. I also obtained two curious earthen-ware covers
of vessels, probably covers of censers, perforated with
holes, and having a large hole through the centre of the
knob, at top.

I also found several fragments of ancient black glazed
pottery, as well as pieces of red glazed ornamented ware.

In various parts of the excavations at the temple numer-
ous fragments of plaster, moulded into ornamental patterns,
were found.

The bricks found in this mound were of five different
sizes, which I believe to indicate as many different successive
periods of building, as the largest bricks were found at the
lowest level. There were also wedge-shaped bricks, which
were not well bricks, but which must have belonged to the
exterior circumference of some circular building. The fol-
lowing is a graduated table of six different varieties of these
bricks, from the largest to the smallest : —

(1) Length, i foot 3 inches; breadth, 10 inches; thick-
ness, 3 inches.

(2) I foot 2 inches, by 9 inches, by 2^ inches.

(3) I foot I inch, by 8-^ inches, by 2-?,- inches.

(4) ^ foot and ^ an inch, by 7 and f- inches, by 2^-
inches.

(5) 1 1 inches, by inches, by 2 inches.

(6) Wedge-shaped brick —length, i foot and an inch,
by 8^ inches across at the larger end, by j inches across at
the smaller end, and 2^ inches in thickness.

But in the fields, a short distance to the south-west from
this mound, I dug up some of the largest bricks that I ever
saw in my life. These enormous bricks measured 1 foot 8
inches in length, by i foot 6 inches in breadth, and 4 inches
m thickness,

These monstrous bricks belonged to the foundations of a
building which measured 18 feet from north to south, by
1 1 eet 6 inches from east to west. This site was situated

570 south-west from the Kundanpura or Great

1 emple Mound.

CENTRAL DOAB AND GORAKPUR IN 1874-75 & i 87 S- 7 <*- 79

AHIRPURA MOUND, 1ND6R.

The mound Trhich I have named the Ahtrpiira^ or Lesser
Temple Mound, is situated about 225 feet to the south from
the Kundanpdra, or Great Temple Mound, previously des-
cribed. The name of Ahirptlra is derived from ancient
times, and there is no village of that name now. This
mound measured across about 125 feet by 1 10 feet.

I have also called this the Skeleton Mounds because I
found five human skeletons in it, as well as the remains of
at least two Small temples. One of the skulls found had
very projecting jaws exactly like those of a Negro. This
belonged to the skeleton of a male, nearly 6 feet in length j
but close alongside of it I found the skeleton of a female,
5 feet 6 inches in length, the facial part of the skull of
w'hich had a straight even profile. Another skeleton was
placed across, or upon the remains of the doonvay of one of
the temples. Four of the skeletons had their heads placed
towards the north ; but the fifth was placed the reverse way,
the head being towards the south-west, and the feet towards
the north-east.

On digging to some depth lower than the foundations of
the two ruined temples, I found numerous fragments of com-
pletely fossilized bones of animals, wliich ivere very heavy.
Some of them were certainly fossilized bones of camels, and
a few probably of elephants ; but there were several fragments
which I could not account for. From this mound 1 obtained
the following articles : — '

1. — K spindle-shaped ivory, or bone, implement, 4 inches in length,

thick in the middle, and pointed at cacli end.

2. — ^The half of a curious terra-cotta figure of a man holding a

sword,

3. — A cariously-perforatcd cover of some vessel, with a large hole

in the centre, through the knob at top.

4. — A flat, sharp-edged stone, sliapcd like an axe, 6} inches in

length, by 4 inches in width, and about half an inch in thick-
ness near the middle. I think that there can be no doubt
that this is a ** stone implement.”

There were two different sizes of bricks found in this
mound. These were as follows : —

1, — I foot 3 inches, by 10 inches, by si to 3 inches.

2 . — I foot 2 inches, by 9 inches, by 2 ^ inches.

The buildings excavated in this mound consisted of the
foundations of tvyo ^mall temples and the remains of a third.
These small buildings had apparently had their entrances

8o

REPORT OF TOURS IN THE

towards the east and their backs towards the west; but
they were of a very irregular shape, no two sides or angles
being at all the same, nor were any^ of the lines parallel And
yet these buildings had evidently originally been intended to be
constructed on exactly the same plan. They were intended
each to be nearly square, with projections on three sides, so that
the building presented ten projecting angles exteriorly, be-
sides the piers on either*side of the doorway. The most
perfect of these buildings measured exteriorly about 14 feet
from east to west, exclusive of the projection at the door-
way, by about 15 feet from north to south. The interior
chamber was almost wedge-shaped, the side towards the
back being 7^- feet, while the front side of the chamber, next
the doorway, measured little more than 6 feet. The doorway
itself was about 3^ feet in width. A human skeleton lay
across the doonvay. Two more human skeletons, of a male
and a female, lay nearly side by side, to the rear of the temple,
towards the west. The male skeleton lay with the right
shoulder jammed up close to an outer wall. A fourth skeleton
lay just beyond the wall towards the west.

The interior of the next building, towards the north, was
of a very irregular shape, the chamber being less than 7 feet
in width towards the back and about 7-^ feet towards the
entrance, where two short slanting pieces of wall projected
towards the doorway. The exterior of this building was
also of a very irregular shape, but still on the same plan as
the other first described. Its exterior dimensions were about
14^ feet from north to south, by from 14 to 15 feet from
east to west. There were also some detached fragments of
an outer wall which may have surrounded these buildings.

VAIDYA-PURA MOUND (INDOR).

This is the most important of four mounds, called collect-
ively the Vaidya-pura mounds, situated to the north side of
Jndor Khera, across the Choya Nadi, and which were noticed
in my account of Ind6r or Indrapura.

The highest and most northerly of these mounds was
excavated by me. This mound is situated about 1,150 feet
to the north from the Great Kh^ra of Indor.

My excavations brought to light the base of an ancient
temple, and several long walls surrounding it ; and also the
remains of some side buildings, among which was the remains
of another very much smaller temple, or shrine, at the eastern

CENTRAL DOAB AND GORAKPUR IN 1874-75 & ^875-7^ 8l

corner. The main building, the temple first noticed, was
exactly on the same plan as those excavated in the Ahir-
pflra mound to the west ; but the temple in this mound was
in a much more perfect state, and it had two side wing walls
running out to the right and left on either side of the door-
way. The interior chamber of the temple was wedge-shaped,
as it measured 7 feet in width at the interior back wall, but
only 6 feet on the side next the doorway. The walls were
from 3 feet 9 inches to 4I feet in thickness The exterior
dimensions of the temple were 18 feet 6 inches from east to
west, by about 14 feet from north to south.

About 8 feet from the north side of the temple a long
wall, 2 feet 4 inches in thickness, ran for a distance of about
70 feet, in a direction east-south-east by west-north-west.
There was a small oblong walled enclosure, about 1 1 feet
in length by 6 feet in breadth, attached to the middle of the
outer side of this long wall. Within the easterly end of this
wall there was the remains of a very small temple, or shrine,
which measured only 1 1 feet from east to west by about
feet from north to south. From the outer side of the long
wall, at the rear of the small shrine, a short wall, about i
foot 6 inches in thickness, ran for about 5 feet northwards,
where it united with another outer wall which ran for about
22 feet eastwards, and then turned due southwards, but its
length in a southerly direction was uncertain, although I
traced it for a distance of about 30 feet in that direction.
From the southern side of the doorway of the small shrine
a wall, \ foot 6 inches in thickness, ran for about 20 feet
southwards, and there was a square raised projection about
the centre of it. Thirteen feet six inches to the east of the
larger temple, a wall, varying frorh 1 foot 6 inches to i foot
in thickness, ran southwards, for about 31 feet, where it joined
another wall which ran from west-north-west to east-south-
’ east, and which formed the inner wall of two large chambers,
which together measured about 32 J feet in length from east
to west, the breadth of the easterly chamber being about 1 2
feet and the breadth of the westerly one being about 1 1 feet.
The foundations of a wall of older date ran diagonally through
these two chambers. About 7 feet to the south of the
temple, a wall, 2 feet in thickness, ran for about i8 feet, in
an east and west direction. To the outer side of this wall
another wall from 2^ to 3 feet in thickness was attached,
which turned round towards the east for a distance of about
II feet.

82

report of tours in the

The whole extent of this mass of buildings, from east to
west, was nearly 8o feet, and the greatest extent from north
to south about 57 feet.

The bricks found in this mound were of three different
sizes or varieties as follows : —

I. — I foot 3 inches, by 9 inches, by 3 inches.

1, — inches, by 8^ inches, by 2 ^ to 2^ inches.

3. — Square bricks from 10 to,ii inches square, by 2I inches in
thickness.

I have only further to mention that, at the village of
Makhena, about 3 miles to the north-east from Indor Khbra,

I obtained two enormous curved bricks, which may probably
have belonged either to the parapet of some ancient well, or to
some circular building. These large curved bricks measured
I foot 9 inches in length, by 8^ inches in width, and 7 inches
in thickness. These bricks were made to fit into each other ;
for one end of each brick was cut to a sharp projecting angle,
while the other end of the brick was cut into a deep receding
angle.

II.— BHUILA AND KAPILAVASTU.

The greater part of the cold season of 1874-75 was occu-
pied in making extensive excavations at Indor KJidra, in the
Bulandshahr district, and also in measuring and drawing
plans of the buildings which I had there excavated.

There was thus very little of the cold season left for the
exploration of other ancient sites ; but, by immediately there-
after proceeding to another distant part of the country and
by remaining in camp, during both the hot weather and the
rainy season, of this year (1875), ^ enabled to do a great
deal of additional important work, and I thus had the good
fortune (as I believe) to make the discovery of the long-
sought-for site of the ancient city of “ Kapilavastu” or
KaptlanagaraP the residence of the family of Sdkya Muni,-
the last Buddha, and the capital of the §^kya tribe.

From the Bulandshahr District I proceeded straight, by
railway, to Lucknow and Faizabad.

When I had arrived at Faizabad, it only remained for me
to decide whether I should at once proceed to Nagar Ehds,
in the southern part of the Basti District, which had been'
proposed by General Cunningham (in his “ Ancient Geo-
gmphy of India”)’ as the probable site of Kapila-vastu, or
whether I should first halt at the great dih, or khera or '
mound of rums, on the bank of the Blmtla Tdl, or Lake of

CENTRAL DOAB AND GORAKPUR IN 1874-75 & 1875.76- 83

Bhuila, which is situated in Pargana Mamiirnagar^ in the
north-western part of the Basti District, about 25 miles north-
east from Faizabad, and about 15 miles west-north-west from
Basti, and which I had reasons to believe might possibly turn
out to be the real site of the long-sought-for ancient city of
Kapila-mHu,

The sequel, however, alone will prove whether I am right
or not, and 1 have, moreover, reason to hope that General
Cunningham wll himself come to examine my newly-proposed
site of Kdpila-mstu at Bhuila, and his opinion, when formed
on the spot, will of course be decisive and final.

Before, houever, proceeding to a systematic report of
the result of my investigations and explorations at Bhuila
and in its neighbourhood, it will be necessary for me first to
say a few words about Nagar Khds^ which, it will be remem-
bered, was the place which was originally proposed by
General Cunningham as a possible or probable site for
Kapila-vasiic.

12.— NAGAR KHAS.

I have as^yet (up to the time of commencing this present
report) been prevented, partly by necessary reasons, and
partly by accidental causes, from personally visiting Nagar
Khds. The fact is that my investigations and explorations
at Bhuila and in its neighbourhood were of necessity on a
wide scale, and were extended over a considerably large range
of country. For, in order to be at all certain that I had
really found KapHa-vastu^ I had not only to identify the site of
the city itself, but I had also to identify the sites of a number
of other places, either in the neighbourhood or at some dis-
tance, which were mentioned in the travels of the Chinese
pilgrims. In my search after these places, and also in mak-
ing a complete surv'ey of Bhuila (or Kapila-vaztii) itself, so
much time was spent that the rains had commenced before I
could find any time to think of removing my whole camp to
Nagar Khds> Moreover, in this part of the country, where
the whole land is cut up into rice-fields, ahd where the culti-
vators are so jealous of every inch of ground that they do
not leave even a single foot-path, far less a road of any
kind, it becomes totally impossible to make use of camels
at all after the rains have once commenced, and, as I found
a difficulty in getting carts at the time, f had to give up the
idea of visiting Nagar Khas personally until after the rains.

84

REPORT OF TOURS IN THE

I however,' in the meantime, sent a party of intelligent
men to Nagar Khds, in order to explore the whole place, and
to bring me all the information they could obtain on the spot
. concerning it. The following notes,_ therefore, contain the
main substance of the information which I obtained by means
of the exploring party deputed by me to Nagar Khds.

It would appear that the natives of the locality itself do
not know the place by the name of Nagar KhdSj ” but they
simply call it “ Nagar or “ Nagara and the term “ Khds
would appear to have been added simply for the sake of
“ convenience ” by the former native revenue officers of the
Muhammadan Government of Oudh, not because this
place was larger than any other place called “ Nagar as
there are several other places in this part of the country
which bear the same appellation ; and near one place, called
“ Nagara^^^ further dast, in Pargana Mhaali (“ Mhowlee ”) there
is even a larger and more important mound of ruins than at
Nagar Khds. But the' comparatively modern small town, or
village, known officially as “ Nagar Khds” was formerly the
residence of a chief, or Raja of the Gautam tribe, and was
therefore a convenient centre for the collection of the local
revenue. And it was for this reason alone that it came to
be designated in official documents by the term Khds,” or
specialized. It was, however, also called “ Aurangabad
Nagar,” and “ Chando NagaraP

Nagar Khds IS NLUdltd 2 ± the end of a large lake^
called the “ Chando Tdl” about 3 miles in length,. in Par-
gana Aurangabad-nagar, in the southern part of the Basti
District.

The present small so-called “ town ” of Nagar Khds is
now little better than a mere village, and rather a poor-look-
ing place. Adjoining it is the comparatively modern fort of
the late Rajas, which was nearly destroyed during the mutiny •
i^57'5S by the^ British authorities, on account of the bad
conduct of the chief, who acted as a mischievous rebel, and
who was accordingly expelled from the place. Both the
Resent small modern town, or village, and the fort of Nagar
Khas, are said to have been founded in comparatively-speak- .

most, during the latter part of the -
middle ages) by some petty Gautam chiefs, who, according
to the account given by a man of that tribe, came from.sdme-

whem in the south during the middle ages, or in the time of
the Pathans. -

CENTRAL DOAB AND GORAKPUR IN 1874.75 & 1875.7(1. 85

To the west of the present village of Nagar Khfls, there
is a targe, but rather low, long-shaped mound, which may be
about half a mile in length,^ but it has been mostly
ploughed up and under cultivation, and although fragments
of ancient pottery are found very plentifully on it, there are
very few traces of bricks to be seen and old bricks W'ould
appear to be very scarce. There is a nalla (which may be
the remains of a former ditch) along the eastern side or base
of the mound, and particularly between the mound and the
village of Nagar Kh&s. Now, according to the account given
by 'the Chinese travellers, there should be a " dztch'* at the
south side of the ancient city of ” Kaptla^vasiu^' but, in
the present case, the great lake, called the Chando Tdl
(when full) lies close to the southern side or base of the long
mound near Nagar Khds. This, then, is one point of marked
'.disagreement, totally at variance with the only authentic
descriptions of Kapila-vastu that we possess.

There should also be a deep hole or pit (a kund, or
tank), called the “ Hasti Gartta*^ beyond, or to the south of,
the " ditchf' and some distance to the south of the site of the
ancient city. But again, in the present case, the great lake
alone occupies the very position indicated. This is therefore
another marked point of disagreement.

The party of men whom I sent to explore the place held
conversation mih some of the villagers who belonged to the
Gautain tribe, and my men asked them who were the founders
of the old place, of ^vhich the great mound, ^ or Kh^ra, to
the west of Nagar Khas, now only remained to indicate the
site, and what was its original name, and whether the
Gautam Ritjputs were the original founders of the old site.
'To this some of the people replied that they, the Gautams,
had come from somewhere in the south, in the time of the
Pathdns^ and that they did not know who founded the ancient
site, or “ Dih ; that they thought it was founded in very anci-
ent times, before the Kflli yug, but that it might, perhaps, at
some time have been in the possession of either the Bhars
or the Thards, and they declared that they never heard that
any Gautams had ever founded the old site, but that, in-
deed, on the contrary, they had always heard that the anci-
ent “ Dih or Khfera mound was already in existence long
before they, the Gautams^ came to the place. Other persons
who were also questioned on the spot on this subject by my

* Note. — I have since ascertained that it is about 5,500 feet in length from east
to west, by about 1,500 feet from north to south.

86 REPORT OF TOURS IN THE

men are reported to have stated, in like manner, that they
believed that the Gautam Rajputs, of Nagar Khas ^ and .
Pokhra, had come from somewhere in the south, in the middle
ages, or in the time of the PatJidns, and that when they first
came to' the locality, they found the old Kh^jra mound in
very much the same condition that it is in now, except that
perhaps it may not, up to that time, have been touched by
the plough ; and further, as far as they knew, it was only the
present comparatively modern village and fort, or “ Kof,"' of
ISfagar Khas, that had ever been founded by the Ganiam
Rajputs, in that locality.

Now it appears to me that, if the present Gnutams were
really the representatives of the Sdkyas, and that if they
had been the founders of the ancient site, or Kh^ra mound,
at Nagar Khds, that they would surely know something
about it, or would have preserved some tradition concerning
a matter which was so intimately connected with the history
and prestige of their own tribe. But so far as I was able to
learn, the Gautam Rajputs about Nagar Khds, with \yhom
my nien conversed, appeared to be totally ignorant as to the
origin or history of the ancient site, or Khfera mound !

At the same time I must confess that I , have found the
majority of the Rajputs of this part of this country so
hopelessly ignorant, even oh points immediately relating to
the local history of their own tribe, that I believe it to be
quite possible that a site, now deserted, might really have
been founded by their ancestors, and yet that they may no^y
be totally ignorant of the fact, and not know anything at all
about it. We must therefore at least be careful not too
hastily to accept the wanderipg talk of the present ignorant '

representatives of a tribe as gospel.

My men nexj; asked the people of Nagar Khds if they had
heard of the ancient " dilij^ or Kh^ra, dr mound of ruins, at
BKuila Tal, and if they knew who had founded that place. To
this they replied that they have heard of “ Bhuila Dih ” as a

hut that they did not know who had
rounded it, though they thought it might perhaps have been
founded by the “ Tharjir r

^ distance, say about a mile to the south from the

present village of Nagar Khds, on the very bank of the
eastern end of lake, or Chando Tdlj where a. small insignifi-
cant water-course, or nalla, debouches from the lake towards
e east, there is a curious, isolated, somewhat circular-
s ape and moderately-elevated spot of ground, covered

CENTRAL DOAB'AND GORAKPUR IN 1874-75 & > 875-76 87

with a growth of bambu trees, which was described to me as
being surrounded by a double ditch, or two ditches, which
are connected with the lake. This circumscribed site is
supposed to have been the first fort which was constructed
by the Gautams as a place of refuge and security, or as an
asylum of safety ; or perhaps as a secure temporary reposi-
tory for treasure, and as a resort for the females of the
household of the first Rajas. But it apparently contains too
small an area ever to have been used as a permanent habita-
tion.

Again, to the south-west from the lake, and near the
village of Pokhra,'' on its south-south-western side, there is a
“ dih ” or khfera, or mound, which must have been the site of
some former habitations, probably of an ancient village, or
small town, which preceded the present village of Pokhra.
There is said to be nothing remarkable about this mound,
except the usual scattered fragments of old potteiy, and a
few fragments of brick. The representatives of the late
Gautam Raj As of Nagar KhAs now reside at Pokhra.

There is also another, but smaller mound, which is said
to be situated somewhat less than a mile to the west from
Pokhra,

The mounds or sites which have been severally noticed
or commented upon in connection with Nagar Khds in the
preceding notes, are stated by the men of the exploring
party, whom I sent to Nagar Khas, to be the only objects of
any interest that they could discover there or in its neighbour-
hood. And it is remarkable that (according to their account)
they could not find the remains of even a single stApa, or
tope, anywhere near Nagar Khds,

From the general conclusions that I drew from the above
information which I received concerning Nagar Khas and its
immediate neighbourhood, it appeared to me that it could not
have been the site of Kapila-vastu, as it did not seem to
agree in any one single point with the description of that
ancient capital of the Sakyas, as given either by Fa-Hian or
Huen-Thsang. The great mound near Nagar KhAs may
very probably be the site of some veiy ancient city, perhaps,
most probably, one of the tm deserted which are stated

to have existed in the dominions of the Sakyas ; but it
apparently has not any of the surrounding points, or contin-
gent features, which especially constitute the most important
and necessary concomitants, required for the full identifica-
tion of the site of Kapila-vastu.

88 REPORT OF TOURS IN THE

Certainly, however, the great size of the lake, called the
Chando Tdl, at Nagar Khks, which is really a very large and
grand sheet of water (for India at least), constitutes, even
of itself alone, a feature which tells very much in the favour
of Nagar Kh^s.. The Chando Tdl, indeed, is probably more
than a mile longer than the Bhuila Tfd, or lake of IBhuila,
even at the fullest extent of the latter, during the rains. The
Chando Tdl, which is a straight, oval-shaped sheet of^ water,
is apparently about 3 miles in length ; while the Bhuila Till,
which is a curved sheet of water, never exceeds a mile
and a half in its entire length, even at its greatest height
towards the end of the rainy season ; and in the dry weather,
during the hot season, the actual extent of water in the
basin of the Bhuila lake then becomes much less and is
then reduced to barely a mile, or even sometimes to less than
a mile in length. The great superiority in size of the
Chando Tal at Nagar KhA.s is therefore certainly a great
point in its favour, as a proposed site for the ancient capital
city of Kapila-vastu, were it not for other facts, which cannot
be reconciled, and these “ facts are stubborn things !”

There is, however, one fact which in my opinion tells very
much against Nagar Khas, and that is, that it may really be
said to be situated on the Manor a River. Nagar Khas
is only i\ miles from the nearest point of the Manora River,
while the Chando 7dl is only about i mile from the nearest
bend of the river. Now, it appears to me that if Kapila-
vastu had really been situated on such a well-known and
considerable river as the Manora^ or Manoi'ama, that this fact
would most certainly have been mentioned in most, or at
least in some, of the various notices and accounts that we
have of Kapila-vastu, for the Manora is in reality a larger
river than the Ku^ni, or KuS,no. On the contrary, however,
Kapila-vastu has always been stated to have been situated on
a lake, and on or very near the banks of the Rohini River,
which, as will be seen in the sequel, I have lately found
reason to^ identify with an old bed of the Raivai or Roaz
River, which lies between Bhuila and the Kudno River.

^ I have only further to add that my exploring party also
visited Kukooa Oojha, or Kakua Ujha, about 8 miles to
the west from Nagar Khas, which was proposed by General
Cunningham as the site of the birth-place of Krakuchanda
Buddha ; further that my men also visited another
smaller village, called simply Kakua, 2-| miles to the north-
east from the former. But they could not find any stupa, or

CENTRAL DOAB AND GORAICPUR IN 1 874*75 & *875-7C 89

even the remains of one, at either of these places. At
Kakua Ujha, near a ghht on the banlc of the Man ora River,
they said they found only an irregular-shaped and rather
low, or inconsiderable mound of sandy earth, with a few
fragments of pottery, and at the other lesser Kahta they
could only find a very small low mound, which, they said, they
would not have thought worth noticing if it had not been
for my strict instructions to them to notice even the smallest
trifles.

I have given the above account as I received it, though
of course I do not profess to pin my faith to eveiy word of
it, or in every minute particular. But, taken as a whole,
I think it may fairly be accepted, tentatively, as being pro-
bably, in the main, a pretty just account of Nagar KhAs and
its neighbourhood, more especially as this account has since
been confirmed in most of the particulars by other informa-
tion which I have since obtained concerning the Gautams
and Nagar Kh&s.

Perhaps the most remarkable items of information which
I have obtained from other and entirely independent sources
concerning the Gautam Rajpoots, Avho are now found about
Nagar KhUs, Pokhra, and Byragul (Bairhgal), and in that
neighbourhood, are contained in the following notes. And
the information which I have now to communicate is spe-
cially important, as it involves a total contradiction to all the
preconceived notions concerning the origin of the Gautama
Kshatriyas.

It is said that Nagar Kh&s and Pokhra, and the land
generally around the Chando Till, w^ere originally in the pos-
session of the Bhars, who may possibly, therefore, have
founded some of the ancient sites in that neighbourhood.
Afrenvards some Pathans came from a place named Utrola
or Atraola, in the Gonda District, 30 miles to the north-east
from Gonda ; and these Pathans drove out the Bhars from
the neighbourhood of Nagar Khds and took possession of
the place. At length, last of all, some Gautam Rajputs
came from somewhere in the south, and expelled the Pathdns.
The battle between the Gautams and the PathUns is said
to have been fought at a place called yragul, or Bairdgal,
about 8 miles to the south-west from Nagar Khis.

The Gautams are said to have originally come from a
distant place, called Argal, which was situated somewhere in
the south-eastern part of India. The Gautams next settled
probably somewhere immediately to the south, — I am not

90

REPORT OF TOURS IN THE

sure exactly where, but most likely somewhere in the Jaunpur
District, as there are said to be still some Gautam R.ajputs
about Azimgarh. Some of the Gautams, either being driven
from there (perhaps by the Muhammadans), or for some
cause or other, crossed the Gh%hra River (probably about
Tanda), and attacked and defeated the Pathan chief at the
place which is now called yragiil or Bairdgalj 8 miles to
the south-west from Nagar Khds ; and the Gautamas are by
some supposed to have probably named this place Baira-
gal in remembrance of Argal, a place in the south-west of
India, from which the Gautams originally came as I before
stated. Argal might possibly be some place in Rfljputana,
or in the Aravalli hills, as the syllable Ar is found both in
Arhudha (AbA) and in Aravalli^ or it might refer to some
place called Argadh or Argarh. There is a place called
Argaum in Berar, and a place called Arakot in Sindh. But
as airdgal is evidently a corruption of Vairdgal, or Wairdgal^
it would seem that the name of Ar^al may likewise be a
corruption or contraction of some older name of a place in
south-western India, which may therefore perhaps have been
called Vdrgal or Vairdrgalj or JVazrargal, or Avdrgal, and
it is curious that there is a village called Harankha less
than a mile to the east of Nagar Kh^s. I do not know of any
other place bearing such a name, except Warangol, the
ancient capital of the Andhra kings, to the south of Berar.
Now the name of Warangol has also been spelt as JVarankol,
Varaziakol, Arenkil, and Wairangol ; but the real correct
name of the place is Varunakolla^ which from one of its
modern names, Arenkil^ would appear to have been an alter-
ation from Arunakola^ which is only another form of Aruna-
kundapuraj or Arunakundapatnaj which was the original
ancient name of Wai'angol, and which is mentioned in an
inscription of Rudra Deva of the Gangavansa, or Kdkalya,
dynasty, in A.D. 1132, which was found at Warangol.^ Kol
means a creek and is therefore nearly allied in meaning- to
kund — a pond, a pool, a fount, and therefore Aruiiakola is
nearly synonymous with Aruna-kunda. Now one of the
modern forms of the name of the place is Arenkil^ which is
evidently nearly allied to Arunkol? The Argal, Wargal, or

' In some of the Dravidian dialects, gol or gal means a fort, or a pass, or a
pile; ar, or aur, means water, and hoi in Hindi means a creek,

^ This interpretation which I have given of the name of Warangol or
v^arunkol, is however entirely contradicted by Mr. A. D. Campbell, of the Madras
Civil Service, in the introduction to his Telugu Grammar, where, in a Note to
page XI, he says:— ‘‘This word (Wartmkitl) is pure Teloogoo, Ortikullu and
signifies a single stone, a solid rock, or perhaps OrUkulIu, a touch-stone.

CENTRAL DOAB AND GORAKPUR IN 1874.75 & 1875-76. 9I '

Arkal, of the Gautam traditions may therefore just possibly
be a corruption of ArunkoL But both Arun and Arkoa mean
the Sun, and therefore Artin-kol and Arka-kol would be
absolutely synonymous terms. Therefore Arka-kel must
be the original of Arkdl^ or ArgaL

All this will appear more possible, from several facts which
I am now about to mention.

Warangol^ or Varankol, or Anmamiapitra, was the capi-
tal of the ancient kings of Andhara, The most famous of
the kings of Andura was named " Gotaiiiipiitra Sdtakarni, ”
The name of “ Gotainiptitra ” means “ the son of Gotami^ ” or
Gotama. Might not the Gautama Rajputs perhaps be really
descended from this Gotamiputra? It is at all events
remarkable that some Gautama Rajputs, in the Basti District,
when questioned, denied that they were of the Suryauansa^
or solar race, at all ; and said that they were not Suryavans,
but autams ; and that they were descended from the Rishi
Gotam and his wife Ahaliydf or Ahali as they called
her. Now, “Argdkalt^' would mean a place of Ahalyd
set apart, or the portion of Aharyd . (The “ Ahar Rajputs
derive their origin from “ Aharyd”) General Cunningham has
identified the great Andhra king, Gotamiputra Sdtakarni,
with Sdlivdkany who was also called “ Sdtavdhan” and
adavadan ” Sdkdditya^ and who founded the Sdka era, in
A.D. 79. The era of PromOt or of the Burmese Buddhists of
Prome, was established by a Raja whom they call “ Samandrip
six hundred and twenty -three years from the sacred era of Bud^
dhds death, in B.C. 543, or, as the Burmese make it, “544;”
and if we deduct 543 or 544 from 623, it leaves 78 or 79,
which is the date of the Sdka era ; and the Prome era is
therefore the same as the era which was established by
Sdlivdhan ; and the Raja SamandriP who established the
Prome era, would therefore appear to be the same as Sdli-
vdhan. But the name Samandri" does not represent that
of Sdtivdhan ; but it appears to be a compound of “ Sam” and
Andhri, as if Svs din- Andhr ay p for the Sanskrit Swamin

AndhrasyaP meaning “ the Lord of Andhra ” and this Lord of
Andhra^ who established'an era, the very same as the Sdka era
of Sdlivdhan^ could only be “ Sri Gotamiputra Sdtakarni P
the great king of Andhra^ who was a staunch Buddhist, and
whom General Cunningham has identified with Sdlivdhan!
This fact, then, would appear to constitute a proof in favour of
General Cunningham’s sagacious identification ! But Sam-
Andhra ” might also mean the united Andhra, or ” the Andhra

REPORT OF TOURS IN THE

92

confederacy.” On the other hand, if Snmnndrn be supposed to
represent “ Sanmndra” or “ Snmudra',' tlicn even tins, again,
would lead us io Sdlivdhnn, for, in the genealogical lists of the
“ Rdjdvnli ” of Raja Raghimdih, in the Mahva line, iluj name
of “ Samndra-pdla ” is given in the place of that of Sdlhiihan /
Now' it is known that Kumdra pdla ” was one of the names
given to the famous ; and in the Rdjdvali of Rag ha-

nafh, it is stated that a prince named Samndra pdla ” suc-
ceeded, or supplanted, a king called ” Vikrama " about A. I).
iQi.^ SiprakaP the first king or founder of the Andhra
dynasty, was also called “ SindhakaP Sddra ha,” ” Suraka,”
and ” Sisuka,” and also ” Balihita” and BaVui. Now,
“ 'Sindhnka ” is absolutely synonymous with ” Samndra,” or
“ Samundar,” both referring to the sea ; and ” Sipraka " might
mez.n the shelly ; and ” Sisnka ” the name of an aquatic
animal, a dolphin, or porpoise. ” Sipra ” is also the name of
a river near Ujain.

Again, the region of ” Maha Kosala” was included in the
dominions of Gotamipnfra Sdtakarni. Consecjuontly, if the
ancestorsof the Rajputs originally came from Warnngol

or Arungol, they might almost be said to have come from
the kingdom of Mahakosala. But there is another place
called Wairagarh, 74 miles to the north-east from Nagpur;
and there is another place of the same name 75 miles to the
south-west from Sambhalpur. Now, ” Prasenajit King of
Srdvastij in “ Uttara kosala,” in the time of Buddha, is said to
have been the son of Malm Kosala, who was the descendant
of YuvanS.swa, of the Solar race. But surely this may
simply mean that he was the son of the founder of the
kingdom of Malm Kosala. Moreover, I can prove that
Prasenajit really belonged to the Sdkya race, or at least to
the same branch of the Solar race as that to which Sahya
Sinha and his father Suddhodana belonged, nay, even to the
same family. Vov Suddhodana j the father of Sdkya, was also
descended from Yuvandswed of the Solar race and in the genea-
logical lists of the Solar race given in some of the Purdnas
(as, for instance, in the Vishnu and Bhdgavai Purdnas) the
name of Prasenajit is made to follow immediately after
Rdhula, the son of Sdkya Sinha. This name ” Prasenajit”

1 Prinsep’s “ Indian AnUquilies,” Vol. I, pages 2S5 .and 2S6.

- General Cunningham in his Archaeological Report for 1S72-73, page 06 text
and foot-note, has identified either Raja Jobnath, or Johnds, of Sangala, ’with
.Yuvandsvsa, of the Solar race, and also with Sophytes, the contemporary of
Alexander the Great. But Jobndth had a son called “ Suve^J’ who was more
probably Sophytes.

CENTRAL DOAB AND GORAKPUR IN 1874*76 & 1875-76. 93

also occurs again, further back, in the Solar line, between
the names of “ VtSTi'ahhaht^* and ^^Tahshaha^ Mrs. Speir,
in her “ Life in Ancient India," page 280, very sagaciously
remarks that; — “ Prascnajit” the king of Kosala was a friend,
and probably a connection, of Safya?nunt*s father; and
through, his (Prasenajii*s) friendly mediation, Sakya was
induced once more to visit his native place. (I may here
further note, too, by the way, that, as the Andhra King
Sipraha^' was also called " Sudraka,'^ or Suraha so
also the names of " Kshudraha^^ Kttndaha^ and “ Surat ha ”
or “ Suritap follow immediately after the name of Prascnajit^
in the Solar line.) But another descendant of Ynvandsiva'
was ; and Kritaujaya wsiS the common ancestor

of both Sdliya Siiiha and Prasenajii. This same Kritanjaya
is said to have emigrated from Kosala and to have founded
the nation of the Saury as in Saurashira. And according to
certain Buddhist chronicles, as quoted by Csoma Korosi
and others, the ancestors of the Sdkyas of Kapilavastu are
said to have come originally from a place called “ PotalaP
in the Delta of the Indus, near Saurashtra, * Another
member of the same family, Kanah Senap is said to
have emigrated from Kosala^ first to Lohkot in the Panjdb,
and aftenvards, from thence to Saurashtra, and to have
founded the kingdom of Balabhi^ either in A.D. 144 or
about A.D. 223.

But the name of Balabht, or “ Valabhadrap was popularly
said to have been derived from a king called Bala, Balha, or
Balabh; Albiruni derives the name of the Balabhi era
from that of a king called “ BalabP Now, Sipraka, the
founder of the Andhra dynasty, was also called BaltnP and
Bahhita ® and I think it is just possible that cither he or
one of his race bearing the same generic title may somehow
have been the real originator of at least the name of Balabhi —
which, as I before remarked, was, according to the common
popular traditions, supposed to have been derived from a king
named “Balabhi* Now it is remarkable that in the genealogy
of the Bhattis of Jessalmer (which was apparently derived from
chronicles preserved by the Jains) the eldest of fifteen sons
of Sdlivdhan was called “ BdlandP If, therefore, the succes-

• Here again, Yttvandiuat who has been Identified with Jobnath of Sangala
in the Panjab,

• Wilson’s Anana, page 211, A.Soc. Aug. 1853, origin of the

Sak>a Race, Csoma Korosi

• prmsep’s “ Indian Antiquities,” Vol 11 , Useful Tables, page 241, and

page 216. ’

94

REPORT OF TOURS IN THE

sor of Sipraka or Baliiij namely, Sdtaharni, was really the
same person as Sdtavdhan or kdlivdhan, who was also called
Sdkddityaj and whom Tod called a Takka or Takshaka,
while Dr. Bhau Dhaji is said to have considered him to have
been an Indo-Scythian^ then the ancestors of Sdlivdlian,
and of Sipraka or Balin, may very possibly have -derived
their origin from the same stock as the Balas of Sindh, who
are allied to the Kathis ; and the Balas may very probably
be the representatives of the Bdhlikds of the Hindu tradi-
tional chronicles, who are substantively mentioned in the
inscription of Raja Dhava or BJiava, on the iron pillar at
Delhi, as the “ Vdhlikds of SindJuiS ^ But in that case, it
necessarily follows, either that the Balahhi dynasty of kings,
from whom the Mewar or Udaypur family claim to be descend-
ed, did not belong to any original race called Bdlahs Vd/iikas,
BdhlikaSj Vdhlikas, or Balabhas, at all ; but that they only
perpetuated an old name which did not belong to them, but
was that of a race which had preceded them, and that the
city which they are reputed to have founded did not receive
its name from them at all, but had been already previously
so named by predecessors who were of a different race ; or
else that, contrary to all our preconceived ideas, the so-called
Balahhi dynasty may indeed, after all, have derived both their
own name and their origin by descent from the Bdias, Bdh-
likas, or Vahlikas, of Sindh ; who might, in their turn, ao-ain,
then possibly be identifiable with the Sauras or Sauryat; for
both Bdip or Bdl Ndth,'^ and Surya are names of the sun,
so that Bdlika^ or Bdla^ and Saicrya, would both mean a
Solar race. Now the name of the brother of Krishna was
Balarama^ Bal^dQDa^ or Bal~'hhadra^ who has been consider-
ed by some either in the light of an Indian Hercules, or as
representative of the powers of the sun, and whose name, as

Bal-hhadra ^ bears so close a resemblance to that of Vala--
hhadra, the classical name of Balahhi.

Next, the Stsodias, Guhilas^ or Guhadityas , of Meroar
the reputed descendants of the Balahhi dynasty, trace their
origin from Su7nitra^ who belonged to the very same branch
of the Solar race as Prasenajit and Suddhodana^ the father
of Sakya Smha ; and Sumitra himself was a lineal descend-
ant of Kritanjaya^ whom I have before mentioned as havino"

r_ 1 the reputed orimnal

founder of the Sauryas m Saurdshtra. '

* General Cunningham considers that this name ought to be read “ Vahikas.”

CENTRAL DOAB AND GORAKPUR IN I874 75 if i875 76 9$

The last king oiiheBalahht dynasty was called ^'Stlddttyd^'
and there ^\e^e no less than three kings Cf this name in the
same dynasty No^\, the Chinese traveller Huen Thsang
(Si-yu-ki XI -1 7) says that, m his time, the kings of Valabhi
ere the nephews of “ Silddtiya," king of Mah a ! And I may
here add the remark that the brother of the great Viliamd-
ditya of Malmay Bharirthart, was also called “ Silddttya "
Again, Huen Thsang says that the king of Valabhi^ in his
time, was named ^^Dhniiapdtu" and that he was the son-in-law
of Silddttya^ king of Kanauj And as a clincher to this,
he (Si}u-ki, XI-17) again says that the son of Silddttya^
king of Kanauj, had a son-in-law named Dhnnapdtu ” Again,
in one passage, Huen Thsang states that a king named ^^Dhru-
•Dapdlu'^ w'as the sovereign of Southern India , and, in another
place, that he was king of Eastern India ^

Huen Thsang sajs that the kings of Kanauj were of the
Fai-she” or Bats tribe But ^dlivdhan was the reputed an-
cestor of the whole tribe, who e\en now trace their
descent to him I Consequently, in accordance with the numer-
ous and vanous links of relationship, partly mentioned by the
Chinese tra\cller, and partly pointed out by mjsdf, — Sdltvd^
han was probably the ancestor of the Bats kings of Kanauj^ as
well as of the mis-called “ Pravidra ” kings of Afaltia , and the
Rajas of Valabhi would appear to have been closely connect-
ed wath both the Kanauj and Mdhia families, both by rela-
tionship and in some of their commonest family names , or
in other words, the Bats kings of Kanauj, and the ancient mis-
called “ Pramdra!^ but really Bais kings of MdHa belonged
to one and the same family , and the Valabhts or Guhddity as^
who were descended from the same race as the Sdkyas of
Kapilavastii and Sidvastif were closely connected with the
Malwa and Kanauj dynasties, both by mutual family relation-
ship and in some of their commonest family names But
the great king Sdhvdhan^ while reputed to be the progenitor
of the Bats was also called ^^SdlddttyaP this is. Lord of
the I” Consequently, if Sdhvdhdna was both uSdla and
a BatSy then the " Sdkas" and the Bats were the same people,
and the Sdkas'" and the “ Bats" are in the above passages
drawn into cloSe connection with the race to which the Sdkyas
and Balabhts belonged Mr Thomas has made a remark of
nearly the same kind, on the subject of some apparent links
of connection between the Vaiabhis and the Guptas (whose

‘ Julien’b Huen Thsang from p iii, and onwards to pp 333 and 2(2

96

REPORT OF TOURS IN THE

gGRcric titlCj by-thc-bycj would 3 .pp 69 .r to proclRiiR thcrn ^ to
have been of the Vaishya caste!). Mr. Thomas, in his Edition
of Prinsep’s Essays on Indian Antiquities, vol. I, p. 265, says : —

Appended * * * * will be found whatever informa-

tion is afforded by Ikicn Thsaiig regarding the annals of the Vala-
bhis, a race we shall discover to have been intimately connected by
community of insignia, and associated by other minor coincidences
with the dynasty to which this note is especially devoted.” [ i. c., Tlic
“ Guptas y or kings of Kanaiij ? ]

Lastly, Sdlivdhan, or Sdtamhan. alias “ Sakaditya ” has al-
ready been identified with “ Gotaviipiltra Sdtakarm,” the great
king of Andhra ; from which it would therefore appear that the
Andhra dynasty of Varunkol, and the Bais dynasties of Mal-
7va and Kanauj, must have been of the same stock or race
or derived from one common origin; and finally, to sum up,
consequently that the Bats kings, and the kings of Andhra^
who may be called the Gotamipntra dynasty, and the Sdkas^
would seem to have been all simply so many correlated branch-
es of one great race, and all originally derived from the same
root stock ? Quod erat demonstrandum.

There is, however, one circumstance connected with Sdli-
vdhan, which may at first, perhaps, appear rather puzzling,
and that is : — that Sdlivdhan is called both Sdkdtd” and
“ Sdkddityay that is, — enemy of the Sdkas^ and sun or
lord supreme of the Sdkds. In General Cunningham’s
essay on the “ Coins of Indian Buddhist Satraps ” (Journal
Asiatic Society of Bengal, 1854, P- ^^ 7 ) remarks upon the
“jumble,” or confusion, which had been made “by confounding
“ Sdkddityay the chief of the Sdkas, with Vikramaditya, the
Sdkdri^ or “ foe of the SS^kas and he appears to suggest
the identification of Sdkdditya with the great Indo-Scythic
king Kanishka. Again, in the Ethnological Introduction to
General Cunningham’s Archaeological Reports for the year
1863-64, page 21, he says : —

“The father of Sdlivdhan lost his life in battle against the invaders,
while the yoyng prince established a new capital at Salbahanpur, which
is generally identified with Syalkot, to the east of the Chenab. After-
wards he defeated the Tndo-Scythians in a great and decisive battle near
Kharor, within 60 miles of Multan. So great was the fame of this
victory, that the conqueror assumed the title of Sakari, or Foe of the
SdkasP and received from his subjects the auspicious title of Sri. At
the same time, to commemorate the event, he established the Sdkaria
from the date of the battle, — an epoch which is still in general use through-
out India. Lastly, in his “Ancient Geography of India,^^ p. 533, General
Cunningham says ; — ^‘Sakadili/a is one of the common titles of Saliva-

CENTRAL DOAB AND GORAKPUR IN 1874-75 & 1875-76 g)

harm and the Sdka era, which was established by him, is usually called in
ancient inscriptions Sdka-hhitpa Kdla, or Sdka-nripa KdlaP And again at
page 543 he says : — “I have already suggested that Gotamiputra Satahirnf
was probably the same person as the great Salivdhan, or Sadavahan, who
established the Sdke era; and I am inclined to assign the foundation of
the Amaravati stupa to him, in about A D. 90, and its completion to
Yaduya Sri SMakarni, one of his successors, who ascended the throne
in A.D. 143 ”

These three extracts from General Cunningham's writings
would appear to be contradictory of one another j but if so, it
is only for the very good reason that General Cunningham’s
knowledge of the facts and circumstances of those times has
vastly increased, and that he has gradually accumulated a
much greater mass of facts concerning SMiv^han and the
S4kas and S^takarni, during the course of so many years of
painstaking investigation.

I may also here refer to Dr. Bhau Dhaji’s reported opinion
that Sdlivdhan was an Indo-Scylhian Sdka.

Now here we find Sdlivdhan called both ^'^Sdkdri** and
^'Sdkaditya /” and considered both as an enemy and as a king
of the SAkas, and himself as a Sika. Consequently, when
Salivahan gained a victory over the S^kas, the fact was simply
this, — that a prince of one tribe of Sikas gained a victory over
another tribe of S^kas. It was, in short, simply a case of
“ diamond cut diamond,” or Sdka beat Sdka I and this is the
point which I wish to impress. We moreover find that
General Cunningham has identified Sdlivdhan with Gota-
miputra Sdtauarni ; which opens up to us an entirely new
view of Indian history.

But this is not all : ior we know that according to the
genealogy of the Yadti Bhattis of Jessalmer, they were de-
scended from Sdlivdhan ; and that the great-grandson of Sali-
vAhan, named Chakilo, is said to have gone to Balkh, or
BukhAra, and to have married the only daughter of the chief
of the Usbek Turks, and to have become, in consequence, the
chief of the Chakitaiy or Chagitai Tatars. Now if SAlivAhan
was a Sdka, and if the Yadus of Jessalmer were descended
from SAlivAhan, it of course naturally follows that the Yadus
must have been SAkas ! And if the Yadus^ were Sdkas, as the
Yadus were of the Lunar race, it necessarily follows that the
whole of the Lunar race of Kshatriyas must have been Sdkas.
But, according to the records and traditions of the Jains
(which are always more genuine and dependable than those
of the Brahmans), the Lunar and Solar races were both de-
scended from the same ancestor; for according to the Jains,
VOL X 4 I 7

REPORT OF TOURS IN THE

98

Adindth, who was the same as Adibuddha, had two sons,
Bharat and Bahuhala / and Bharat was the ancestor of the
Surya-mnsis^ or Solar race, while Bahuhala was the ancestor
of the Chandravansis , or Lunar race. (See Tod's “Travels in
Western India,” pp. 278 and 279.) Now if, as I have shown,
the Lunar race were Sahas ^ and if the Lunar and Solar r^oos
were both descended from one and the same ancestor, it fol-
lows that the Solar race must also have been Sdkas ; and'con-
sequently that the whole of the Kshatriyas of India, both
Solar and Lunar ^ must have been Sdkas, or Scythians / The
only conclusion, therefore, that we can draw from these facts
is this : either that the Kshatriyas of India were not Aryans,
or else that the Sdkas were Aryans. My own belief is that
the Sdkas were Aryans, as I hope to be able to show in a
separate treatise, devoted specially to the consideration of
such ethnological questions.

These are certainly startling conclusions, but they are
inevitable ; and they must stand until they can be disproved
by counter facts.

There are two other curious facts that I would like to
notice, before concluding. According to the annals of the
Guhalas or Sisodias of Mewar, as given in Tod’s “ Rajasthan^^
Bappa, or Vapaka, the ancestor of the Mewar family, is said
to have retired to Khorasdn after having settled his family
at Chitor. But what in the world did Vapaka want at Kho~
7 'asdn unless he had connections or relations there ? All this
is simply “ grist to my mill.”

Again, the “ Gotania Gotra ” is named by Tod as one of the
branches of the Rdhtors, or Rdshtrakutas ( Rajasthan, “11, 2 ;
note) ; -and he states also that they were descended from
Yuvandswa, of the Solar race.^ Now this is absolutely true,
in one sense ; for the Rahtors are supposed to have been the
progeny of the liaison which Indra had with Ahalyd, the wife
of Gotania Muni. The Rahtors are therefore descended from
the same mother as the Gautamas.

The above detailed concatenation of startling facts and
arguments will perhaps be enough to astonish any sceptics of
the old school who may read this Report. But I shall have
something more to say, further on, about the Sdkas of Kumaon
or Kurmavan,— the Thdrus, the Makars, and the Khasas.
And if I shall eventually be able to upset and expose the

fipfl that has already been identic

fled with fobftdth, or yobnds, of Sangala, in the Panjfib, . ’

CENTRAL DO AD AND GORAKPUR IN 1874-75 1875-76- 9^

falsity of the lying traditions of the Brahmans, and to root
out the foolish amount of credence that has hitherto blindly
been accorded to them, I trust I shall have done good service I

Since writing the above, my opinions on this subject, or
rather the results which I have deduced from the preceding
accumulation of facts, have been still further confirmed by
some remarks made by General Cunningham, in his Archsco-
logical Report of 1872-1873. At page 96, In speaking of
Jobnath Nagar, the ancient BhadrAvati Nagan, General
Cunningham says ; —

‘‘ I ha\ e already suggested tlic identity of Johnath and Sophytes^
or Sopeiihes.’*

And in a foot-note he says

“ I lm\c a strong suspidon that John^th is only a sllglitly-altcrcd
form of yobthis, or Vuz'atuisvaf whose Aswamedha horse was carried
off by the Pfmdus from Bhadrilvali.

We may, however, totally discard and dispense with tlie
apocryphal story’ about the PAndus, and simply be content to
take it for granted that JohndtU, or John&s, is really a con-
traction or corruption of Yuvandsv:a^ which was the name of a
king w’ho lived many centuries after the PAndus, and probably
in the time of Alexander the Great ; and that either Johndtfi^
or Johnds^ or YuvanCtssi'a^ or else his son “ 5 '«r'c^,”was lire same
iXsSophytcs. But in the Ethnological introduction to General
Cunningham’s Archmological Report of 1863-64, pages 35 to
40, General Cunningham has identified the Kathrvi and Sobti
as the subjects of Sophy tes; and he makes them out to have
'been 7 ’ura 7 iianS — tkat is, ol the same race as t’he Inclo-Syttii-
ans and SAkas. But from the extremely handsome^ regular,
and aquiline Aryan features of Sophytes, as represented on his
coins, and from the handsome features, fair complexions,
and stalwart forms of the Kathi of the present day, w ho are the
representatives of the ancient Katluci^ it is utterly impossible
that they could be Turanians at all, if by the hackneyed term
“ Turanians ” is meant n people the same as the Tatars and
Afongotians. I therefore believe that Sophytes and the
Katiiwi^ and their kinsmen the Sobii, and their representatives
the present Kaihis and Balas, w’cre originally simply inde-
pendent who never became Hindus, or a secondary
or later colony of Aryans, who arrived in the PanjAb after
the Brahmanical system of caste had been established, and
to which they refused to submit — very likely because they
knew and felt that they were actually purer Aryans than the

lOO

REPORT OF TOURS IN THE

Hindus, and therefore did not require to be ticketed as one
of the doubtful castes of Hindus by the cunning and design-
ing Brahmans. It was the hybridism or mongrehsm of the
Hindus, by miscegenation with the aborigines, which brought
about the necessity of caste laws; but the Kathoii, being
pure-blooded Aryans^ marrying among themselves, were no
doubt too proud and independent to submit to the caste laws
of the inferior mongrel Hindus.

But if J-obndth, or Jobnds^ was the same as Vavandsicn,
and he or his son ' Suveg was the same as Sophyics, then
Yuvandswa must have been a king of the Kaihcvi and Sobii.
But Yuvandswa was one of the ancestors of the Solar race
of Kshatriyas, and an ancestor of Prasenajii, Raja of S 7 ‘dvnsii,
and an ancestor of the Sdkyas, and an ancestor of Kanals
Sena or Bhatdi'ka Senapaii and of the Sena Rajas of Balabhi
in Saurashtra, and an ancestor of their descendants, the
Guhilas, or Gahilots, of Mewar. Consequently all these must
be of the same race as the ancient /if and Sobii, and the
modern Kathi and Balas. And we know, from the ancient
traditions about the Sdkyas, that they are said to have ori-
ginally come from a place called “ PotalaP in Saurashtra, or in
Sindh ; and we also know that Kriianjaya , of the same race,
is said to have founded the nation of the Saroyas in Sawrashtra,
and that Kanak Sena, or “ Bhatdrka Senapaii,” of the same
race, is said to have founded the kingdom and dynasty of
Balabhi.

All this simply aids, as a parallel case, to prove and to
establish what I have previously said, in another case, about
the Sdkas, — that they were Aryans, And in like manner, if
Jobndth, Jobnds, or Yuvands'waj and his son Swoeg, or So-
phytes, were kings of K athcei Sobii, and ancestorsof the
Solar jace generally, and ancestors of the S7'dvasii Kosalas,
the Sdkyas, and of the Balabhis and Guhilas, or Gahilots, in
particular, that does not prove that all these various peoples;
or nations, or clans, were Tui’aniaiis at all : but it proves
that their common ancestors, Jobndth, Jobnds, or Yuva7isi{'iva ,
and Suveg, or Sophytes, were Aryans — and consequently,
therefore, that their subjects, kinsmen, clansmen, and descend-
ants were Aryans !

^ This is in a manner proved by the converse case of ^dli~
vahan, called Sdkddttyaj and the Sdkas. Sdlivdhan was a
descendant of Krishna, and he was the ancestor of several
still existing clans of Yadns, or Chandrava7isisj including the
Yadu Bhattis of Jessalmer, as well as the Bais tribe of Raj-

CENTRAL DOAB AND CORAKPUR IN i 8 ; 4 * 7 S vV 1875-76. loi

puts. Yet \ve find it also now proved that Sdlhdlian was
at Sdka, or Indo-Scytliian, — a king of the Sakas ^ — and the
founder of the Sdla Era I But this docs not prove that
the Yadus and Bats were Turaui'ans ; but it proves that
the Sdlias were Aryans! And General Cunningham must
surely see that this deduction is inevitable, just as well
as I do ; and he cannot well bear witness^ as he has done,
to the truth of such a fact in one case, without also allowing
its truth in another similar parallel case.

General Cunningham apparently rests his criterion, or
test, as to who arc Aryans, or rather Hindus, and who are
not, on the one single point of marriage. He holds that all
people who will not marry any of the women of their own
tribe, but only those of some other tribe, are Aryans, or
rather, more properly, Hindus, — and that .all people who do
marry women of their own tribe are Turanians. At that rate,
then, the Yadus must be Turanians, — the P arsis must be
Turanians, and all of us Europeans must be Tura titans.
In short, it would seem that all people who do not, or will not,
or are too independent to follow the comparatively modern
Hindu but not ancient {Aryan) customs of marriage, must
be pitched headlong together into the Turanian hell, or into
what might be called a convenient Turanian waste-paper
basket for all unaccounted-for ethnological odds .and ends.

There arc, however, three points which must be taken
into consideration : — Firstly, that we have no warrant what-
ever for supposing that Central Asia was entirely emptied
at once of every single Aryan soul when the first Aryan
colonists first entered India, — or that ail the Aryans came
into India in one single lump, or colony, at first, or all at
the same time, — or that not a single Ar3’an, or no Ar)'an
colonists or invaders, ever came into India aftenvards. On
the contrary, there is every reason to suppose that there were
plenty of Aryans still left in Central India, — and that sevcr.al
successive Aryan colonies entered India at v.irious different
times ; and that of these, the latest Aryan colonists may
have been driven into India at a very late period, by the
first -Turanian hordes pressing them from behind. And the
last of these several Aryan colonies may have entered India
after the older Aryan settlers had degenerated into effeminate,
mongrel, and exclusive Hindus, and after the laws of caste
had been established. And if any such late Aryan colonists
did enter India after the laws of caste had been established,
two resultant consequences would most certainly follow : —

102

REPORT OF TOURS IN THE

one of which would' be that these later, newer, fresher,
and therefore purer Ar^’an colonists would treat the de-
generated, dark-complexioned Hindus, and their degenerated
Tndianised forms of religion and indianised customs, and
their enslaved caste system and servility to the Brahmans,
with haughty contempt and aversion, and would keep them-
selves exclusively aloof from them, and would probably not
marry any of the weaker, darker-complexioned /Z/V/r/// women
if they could possibly help it; and they would thus be
obliged to marry among themselves. The other conse-
quence would be, that the older, cast-enslaved Hindus, and
more especially the jealous and ambitious Brahman hierarchy,
would most certainly refuse to incaste any of these later, or
newer, Aryan colonists, or perhaps invaders, as Hindus , —
or, in other words, they would refuse to admit them within
the Hindu pale, — and they would thus be vindictively
classed, as we find in the Code of Manu, among the tribes
who were debarred from caste privileges, on account of their
disregard of Brahmans, — which, of course, we can only be-
lieve if we are such fools as to take for gospel the Brah-
manical version of everything, but which I, for one, never did,
and never will do. Yet, from all that we know now, there
cannot be the slightest doubt that the Brahmans, either
from fear or compulsion, or from politic reasons for their
own purposes and interests, did afterwards in-caste or ad-
mit some of these later Aryan colonists, or invaders, w’ithin
the Hindu pale, as Kshatriyas. In fact, I suspect that any
superior, warlike, victorious tribe, who would fight for the
Brahmans, or whom the Brahmans could gain over to their
interests, would be immediately incasted, or admitted, as
Kshatriyas ; while any less fortunate or less powerful tribe,
who opposed the pretensions of the Brahmans, would be re-
fused and debarred, or kept without the Hindu pale. And
any later Aryan colonists, who were thus left in the latter
debarred or ?zo;z-privileged predicament, without the Hindu
pale, would be placed in much the same position as that in
which the Par sis now stand in India.

Now, the Parses who entered India as colonists in later
times, are the lineal representatives of the ancient Persians,
and of the Atrydnem Vdejod'' of the Zend Avesta. The
Parsis are therefore genuine, pure, and typical Aryans.
They are genuine, because they truly represent the ancient
.^yans of Persia. They are pure, because they have been
obliged to marry among themselves. They are typical, because

CENTRAL DOAB AND GORAKPUR IN J 874.75 & 1875-76. 1 03

the very characteristic features and general physiognomy
which mark the Parsis, and even the peculiar head-dress
which is still worn by them, are absolutely exactly the very
same as represented in the most ancient Persian sculptures,
which show us the features and dress of the ancient Persian
Aryans. The Hindus have altered and deteriorated much and
wofully from the typical Aryan ; but the Parsis appear to
be stereot)rped in the ancient sculptures of their original
country, and they do not appear to have changed at all ! In
short, the Parsis are infinitely purer and more typical Aryans
thdiXi the 'Hindus. Yet the Prtrsfs are not, and never could
be, Hindus; and the Hindus could not possibly admit or
incaste the Parsis within their pale. Moreover, the Parsis
marry among themselves ; or, in other words, Par si men
marry Parsi "women. Therefore, according to General Cun-
ningham’s theory, or rather according to the dictum of
the Brahmans which he follows, we ought to call the Parsis
Turanians P and to pitch them with the rest into the
Turanian waste-paper basket” 1 I think this only shows
how totally fallacious and untenable this Brahmanical view
of the matter is. Now, I believe that the handsome, fair,
and stalwart Kdthis^ as the representatives of the ancient
Kath(Bis, who were famed for their beauty, as well as the
Balas and the TakkaSy or Taks^ are really the represen-
tatives or remains of late, or secondary, Aryan colonies,
who entered India after the Hindu caste systeni had been
firmly established, and who were therefore never admitted
within the Hindu pale. And I believe that when they
Irrst emferetf dtey wmdd dfrcf (^AerrrseiVe^ phced in

much the same social position as the Parsis were when
they first settled down in India — that is, as intrusive Aryans ^
who were not Hindus. And it is remarkable that there is,
even now, a similarity between the relative social positions
of the Parsis and the K^this. The Parsis are fair, and
generally tall and robust, with strongly-marked Aiyan fea-
tures ; and they are not liked by the Hindus, and are hated
by the Muhammadans. The Kdthis are fair, and stalwart,
with handsome Aryan features ; and they are not much liked
either by Hindus or genuine Muhammadans. The only
special notable difference between the Kdthis and the Parsis
appears to be, that the Kdthis are warlike, while the Parsis
are peaceable in obedience to the tenets of their religion.

This brings me to the second point to be considered,
which is, namely, that : — The Hindtts may, perhaps, be all

104

REPORT OF TOURS IN THE

Aryans, though I doubt it ; but certainly all Aryans are not
Hindus— no, not even in India ! There are and were Aryans
in India who are not and were not Hindus — such, I hold,
as the Kdthisj and such as the Pa^'sis ; 2in6. such, I hold,
were the ancient Kdtliis, and such I believe several of the
superior and fine-looking tribes of uncertain origin, in the
Panjab, to be, and such were the old Persian invaders long
before the rise of Muhammadanism^ and such were the
Bactrian Greeks ; and it is needless to say that India is now
ruled by European Aryans. Yet none of these are, or ever
were or could be, Hindus. It is doubtful if the Hindus would
even allow that any of them were Aryans at all ! — jt is much
more probable that the Hindus would class the whole of
them as mlechhas and outcasts ! But that does not prove
that they are not Aryans / The ignorant talk of the Hindus
can not either alter or affect the race or descent of any man ;
and the world can 7iot be led by the nose by ignorant and
narrow-minded Hindu prejudice, bigotry, pretension, and non-
sense. General Cunningham appears to have partly formed
his opinion as to the ethnological classification of the Kathis
from the social status assigned to them by their conceited,
ignorant, and prejudiced Hindu neighbours, who pretend to
be the only orthodox people ; and because the Hindus
choose to class a race of men infinitely superior to them-
selves in the same category with therefore of course

we must accept the dictum of the Hindus as sacred gospel !
But has ever any one else ventured to ask the Hindus in
what category they class us Europeans? It is true that we
are the conquerors and masters of the country, and therefore
the Hindus are afraid to speak their minds too openly. But
if this were not the case, and if there had simply been a
colony of European settlers, without any power or authority
whatever, settled down in one of the provinces of India, and
nothing more^ then, depend upon it, the Hindus in their
prejudice would have classed us far lower down in the scale
than Sudras, and certainly far lower than the KathiSj —
simply because we eat beef, and do not pay any deference to
Brahmans ! But, nevertheless, we British Europeans are
Aryans, and far more pure and genuine Aryans than the
Hindus ! and no talk of the Hindus can alter our race, or
make us any less or any different from what we are. It is
^e Hindus who have altered and deteriorated, and not we !
The Hindu has become the coffee dregs, while we have re-
mained the cream of the Aryan race. The Hindus are like

CENTRAL DOAB AND GORAKPUR IN 1874-75 & I05

the monkey, who pretended to treat some men with con-
tempt because they had bare white skins without any fur!
The Hindu has become a sooty, ding)^-coloured earthen pot,
by rubbing against black abori^nes rather too freely ; and he
consequently pretends to despise the white porcelain bowl !

J have now to deal with the third and last point to be
considered. Modem, or even incdicoval Hindu ideas, customs,
practices, and characteristics, and not ancient Aryan, — nay,
they are not necessarily even Aryan at all ! They are neither
ancient nor modern Ar)'an : they are simply Indian, the
product of an Indian people, of Indian temperaments, and of
an Indian soil and climate. Hinduism, generally, was al-
together bom in India, and it does not possess even a single
clement of Aryan parentage, or that is not wholly and pecu-
liarly Indian. The Brahmanical system is entirely of. Indian
growth, and it is not Aryan ; for it has not a single spark
of Ary'an life or spirit in the whole of it, from beginning to
end. No genuine, free, manly, healthy Aryan brains could
ever have conceived or concocted the stereotyped narrow-
mindedness, or the mixture of abjectness and selfishness,
displayed in the Code of Afann, The characteristics of the
close-fisted, hard-hearted, grasping, cringing^, calculating,
narrow-minded, selfish, merciless, pettily tyrannical, but other-
wise cold-blooded, stolid, and apathetic Indian Baniya, run
through the whole of it. It was this total want, or loss,
of all trace of Aryan spirit and feeling, which caused the
Hindus to forsake the Vedas of the Aryans, and to take to
the fetish imrship of the aborigines. Not because the Vedas
Avy^v^ wAv/i,

Hindus had become totally unfitted for, and unable either to
appreciate or to understand, the Vedas — and in short be-
cause the Vedas were too generally Aryan in character for
the degenerate Hindus, who had become too Indianised to
have any longer the feelings of Aiyans. They had even
ceased to take any pride in the term Arya, as the general
appellation of a widely-extended race, including many nations ;
They had even almost forgotten the name. The Persians
had still preserved the name with pride. But the Hindus
had discarded and disowned their Persian brethren; and
they had forgotten and knew nothing about any other Aryans,
The Hindu would not call any man his brother, except a
Hindu. Their enslavement into the narrow, griping tram-,
mels of unalterable and for-ever-stereotyped divisions into
castes, cut the Hindus off entirely from all rest of the world ;

Io6 REPORT OF TOURS IN THE

and the only world which the Hindu knew was India and the
only region he cared to know of was the town^ or village^ he
happened to live in. He knew of no such thing as a united
nation, and had no feelings or conceptions of nationality or
patriotism. He cared for no people on earth* except his
own caste-fellows. By this denationalizing caste system, the
Brahmans well knew how to emasculate and break up a nation,
and to make it powerless either for union or opposition, and
subservient to their own schemes and machinations. But the
Brahmans, or whoever invented the caste system, overleapt
themselves, for by this system of alienating and estranging
man from man, they also succeeded in so entirely breaking
up the Indian nation that it became utterly powerless for
defence, and became a prey to every invader who chose
to take the trouble to walk into the country. The inventors
of the caste system were cowards, who thought only of them-
selves, and feared that, if “ union was strength,” it might
be employed against themselves ; and therefore they preferred
that “ disunio?z should he “ Tvea/czzess,” at all hazards, and
at whatever cost. But they fell by the consequences of their
own machinations, by the swords of those whom the weakness
they had produced invited.

The caste system was not Aryan, and repugnant to the
independent feelings of free Aryans ; it was wholly Indian. .
Genuine Aryans have no necessity for any caste system,
because there is no wholesale mixture with inferior races, or
no miscegenation, and therefore no castes to divide. A caste
system is not a sign of purity of race, but it is a sure index
of hybridism, mongrelism, or miscegenation ; and therefore
the very existence of the caste system among’ the Hindus
is alone, of itself, a sufficient proof that the Hindus were
not pure Aryans, but a mixed race. The animus of the
Hindu caste system is a very different thing from the objec-
tion felt by a bluff Englishman against marrying what he
calls a nigger, and being the father of half-hreeds. But
the Indian caste system shows long-practised and finical,
and even fastidious distinctions between Mery fine gradations
of caste, and in numerous divisions of one single caste ; so that
sometimes persons belonging simply to different branches or
divisions of one so-called caste will not eat together. All
this shows a condition of doubt and suspicion — a state of
constant doubt as to the amount or degree of purity of blood
possessed by any person ; and a constant suspicion of some
mixture, or impurity, in numberless and infinitessimal grada-

CENTRAL DOAB AND GORAKPUR IN i8;4 75 ^ 187576 107

tions This is just ns if each one Hindu constantly said to
ever) other Hindu — " I do not know what amount ofh)brid-
ism or inipunt) nn) belong to }ou I believe that I pos-
sess such and such a measure or amount of the blood of my
caste, what amount of blood do }ou possess?'* It would
really appear as if there was no sucli thing as an) single
Hindu, of even the highest caste, who rcall) possessed
an) thing like the full number of annas to the rupee of
Arjan blood, — but probabl),at most, ver) far below it 1 It is
simpl) a case of each pot calling the other black and impure
And )et this indelible badge of mongrelism is the caste in
which the Hindus take so much pnde I

Of the modem, or at least only middle-aged, Hindu prac-
tices and institutions, which arc not onl) not ancient Ar)an,
but, properlv speaking, not Ar)an at all, tlicpnncipal ones are
four, namely — 1, the caste s)stcm, — 2, widow -burning, —
3, the restrictions or prohibitions against many ing a woman
of the same tribe, — 4, the murder of their infant daughters
b) RAjputs

The first of these I havealread) sufficiently discussed
The second and fourth do not require proof as to their not
being ancient, as this fact is now well known The third is
important, as, upon the fact of the men of an) tnbe many mg
women of their own tnbe or not, the entenon is supposed
to depend as to whether such a tribe is of Aiyan ongin or
not, — or, to use General Cunningham’s mode of expressing
It, — whether the) arcArvansor luramans I have already
partially disproved or shown the fallacy of this idea, and
explained much of it away, by what 1 have said about the
Kathis and the Parsis, and I have shown that it could
not possibly be .an ancient Ar)an law or custom, at all, —
although It might be a comparatively modern or mcdaiival
Hindu regulation But I ma) now bring forward one or two
examples to show that it is not even an old Hindu law, and
that It is no more ancient than widow burning or daughter-
murdering

I believe it is pretty well known that, according to tradition,
the ancient Yadus married among themselves, — that is, that
they married women of their own tribe Or, if this fact is not
generally known to all, it may be proved conversely by the
practice of numerous families ot Yadu descent, at the present
day, who marry w omen of the same tribe , and they give as
their reason for doing so that the ancient Yadus, in the time
of Krishna, married women of their own tribe Kuar Lachman

’loS ‘ •' REPORT OF TOURS IN THE

• Singh, Deputy Collector of Bulandshahr, in his memoir of
'Zillah Bulandshahr, remarks -on the very same fact. At
•page i6i he says ; —

“ JMons of these provinces intermarrry sometimes with other Rajput
tribes, but as a rule, they retain the custom of intermarriage amongst
themselves, which prevailed at the time of Krishna, although they incur
reproach for it from the other Rajputs.^^

Here, then, -we find Yadu Rajputs still preserving the
original marriage customs of their primitive ancestors, in
spite of modern Hindu innovations. And in this we have
one proof, in the Lunar race, at least, that Kshatriyas both
did and do marry women of their own tribe.

I w'ill now give another instance, in the Solar race.

It is stated in the Buddhist Chronicles, that when Prince
Siddhartha, afterwards known as Sakya Sinha, or Buddha,
was of age to be married, his father, Suddhodana, sent notice
to all the other S^kya princes, to send their daughters, as he
was about to choose a wife for his own. After some further
parley, the SMcya maidens came, and the lady chosen was
Yasodhara, who became the wife of Prince Siddhifrtha.-
Here, then, we find the S^kya Prince Siddhartha marrying
a woman of his own tribe, the S^kya Princess YasodharA
It would therefore appear that, in the time of Buddha,

or at least permissable, lor il'SWLnyaS Oi
beor’oolar race to marry women of their own tribe.

We have found that some of the Y^du Kshatriyas still
practice this old custom ; and there is no reason why there
may not be still some tribes of Aryan descent in the
Punjab and Sindh, &c., who may never have conformed to
the modern Brahmanical regime at ail, and who rnay there-
fore still continue to practise the custom of marrying among
their own tribe. And of such I would instance the Kathis,
whose general physical and other characteristics plainly
prove them to be Aryans of a superior type.

13.— SITE OF KAPILAVASTU.

I will now proceed to my more special report on the re-
sult of my actual investigations and explorations at Bhuila,
as my proposed site of Kapilavastu ; and also of other more
extended investigations and explorations in its neighbour-
hop^d, for the identification of other important sites or places
mentioned by the Chinese Pilgrims Fa Hian and Huen
ThsangX

CENTRAL DOAB AND GORAKPUR IN 1874-75 & lOp

I may,however, at once premise this much, — that my iden-
tification of Bhuila as the actual site of Kapilavastu would
appear, so far as it is possible for me to decide up to the
present time, to be pretty nearly certain, if not absolutely
conclusive; or that it has, at least, nearly every possible
point and argument all in its favour, I may also state that
my explorations have as yet resulted in apparently confirm-
ing an opinion that Remusat’s translation of Fa Hian’s travels,
as given by Laidlay, is decidedly the most correct account
(in a geographical point of view) of Kapilavastu, but espe-
cially as to the position of certain important sites, either in
its immediate neighbourhood or at some little distance from
it. General Cunningham has himself expressed this opi-
nion ; — and I may here avail myself of this opportunity of
acknowledging that I am indebted to General Cunningham
for some useful comparative abstracts from the texts of the
travels of Fa Hian and Huen Thsang, as given, respectively,
by Julien, Beal, and Remusat, or Laidlay — indeed, I may
say that, without the great sagacity of General Cunningham,
as chief pilot, to point my ship’s prow in the right direction,
I might not, perhaps, have reached the desired haven either
so easily or so fortunately, and certainly not so speedily.

In other words, when a man’s nose has been pointed
pretty nearly in the right direction, it becomes easy for him
-to follow it, if he will !

But in order to find Kapilavastu, — or rather, before one
could be at all sure that one had found it, — it was necessary
that one should, at the same time, be able to identify the
sites of several other places which are said to have been
situated at various distances from it, and which were inti-
mately connected with its history, or had been mentioned in
connection with it by Buddhist writers.

In order to illustrate the necessary requirements of the
case, let us imagine some parallel instance nearer home. Let
us suppose that some existing European city, with which we
are well acquainted, were at some future period to become so
utterly ruined and deserted that, a thousand years afterwards,
the site which it had occupied was not known any longer,
and that even its name had become nearly lost, or was for-
gotten by the succeeding inhabitants, and was only preserved
in a few old chronicles. Let us, as an imaginary case, for
convenience sake, select the well-known and now proud city
of Berlin, the capital of Prussia ; and -let us suppose that,
owing to the subversion of the monarchy by some revolution,

I lO

REPORT OF TOURS IN THE

and the subsequent conquest of the country by sorne neigh-
bouring power, and a fanatic persecution and expulsion of all
who professed the Lutheran form of religion, the city of
Berlin had been despoiled, ravaged, and ruined, and was
consequently deserted ; and had for years been left so utterly
desolate and forsaken, that even its name had become nearly
forgotten ; and also that the name of the river on which it
stood, or the names of other rivers near it or in its neigh-
bourhood, had become totally altered or changed, — and sup-
pose that, a thousand years afterwards, some traveller, occu-
pied in antiquarian or geographical researches, and interested
in the former history and religion of the country, was anxious
to discover, to explore, and to make a survey of the site
of the old capital city ; such a person, then^ in order to verify
his investigations, would find it necessary, also, at the same
time, to be able to identify the sites of several other places of
note, either in the neighbourhood or at some distance from
it, which had existed contemporaneously with it, and the
names of which had been mentioned in connection with iL
by former historians. He would thus, then, also probably
have to identify the sites of the following places : —

I. — Charlottenburg.

а. — Potsdam ; and the palace of Sans Souci.

3. — ^The fortress of Spandau.

4. — The Rivers Spree and Havel ; the names of which had become

totally changed.

5. — ^The city of Brandenburg.

б. — The fortified city of Konigsberg..

7. — Also the relative positions and distances of all these places with

regard to each other ; and the relative distances of the
last six, and of the site of Berlin itself, from the city of
Brandenburg.

8. — The site of the Kreutzberg, near Berlin.

but in order to make this identification at’ all satisfactory, it
was, as I have already intimated, also absolutely necessary
that I should, at the same time, be able to discover and
identify several other sites of interest at various distances
from it, which were mentioned by the Chinese travellers Fa
Hian and Huen Thsang, or had been noticed in some
Buddhist books or chronicles, and which sites were intimately
connected with the history and position of Kapilavastu.

These may be shortly enumerated as follows : —

T.1 *•— The birth-place of Kraku-chanda, or Karkutchanda-Buddha
Place called Napika, or Napikia, by the Chinese travellers.

CENTRAL DOAB AND GORAKPUR IN 1874-75 & 1873-76. 1 1 1

а. — ^The birth-place of Kanaka-muni Buddha, an ancient city
called Sobhavati Nagara.

3. — ^The site of the massacre of the Sdkyas, where there were a great
number of Stfipas.

4. — Stbpa at a place where Buddha sat under a tree, the shadow of
which tcmaiucd stationary over him.

— A stilpa a short distance to the south of the city of Kapilavastii,
from which S.^kya Mftni shot an arrow.

б. — The §arakflpa, or arrow fountain (some distance to the south-
west or south-east of Kapilavastu), where the arrow shot by S&kya
MAni struck the ground.

7. — A river, formerly called the Rohini.

8 . — A public garden called Liimbinij some distance eastwards from
Kapila.

9. — A tank, or well, in the Lumbini garden, in which the infant
Buddha was washed.

10. — A small river, called the River of Oil, which flowed near the
Lumbini garden.

11. — ^I'he city of Koli, or VyAghrapAra, the residence of Supra-
buddha, the father of Maya Devi, the mother of S&kya Buddha.

12. — The Nyagrodha monastc^, near the Rohini River.

13. — Kshtmavati, the capital of Raja Ksh&ma, of Mekhala.

14. — RAraagrAtna, an ancient city where there was a famous stupa.

15. — Mancya, a place w'here Buddha crossed a river, called either
the Avami or the Anoma.

Now, a search after all these places put together would
alone be almost more than enough for any one single archaeo-
logical tour, more especially when another fact is knowm and
taken into consideration, namely, that the Chinese travellers
themselves differ totally from one another in their accounts
as to the position or localisation of three of the places men-
tioned ; and not only that, but in two different translations
of the travels of one of the Chinese pilgrims, the translators
differ from one another as to the position of two of the
places.

1 believe, how^ever, that I have nevertheless been able to
identify the following sites or places : —

1. -~Bhiula Dih, as Kapilavastu, situated on a lake called Bhuil
TAi in Parganah MansAniagar, in the District of Bastu

2. — ^Thc stupa of arcliery, about half a mile to the south of the
site of the old town (or rather to the south -south-east of the citadel,
containing the ruins of the palace) at Bhuila.

3. — ^I'bc Sarakupa, at Sarkuhia, 4I miles to the south from Bhuila.

4. — I'he place and stupas of the massacre of the SAkyas, at BhatA
or Kosahara, about a mile and a half 10 the north-west from Bhuila.

5. — The birth-place of Kraku-chanda, at Nagar, or KhajAra
Nagara, 8 miles to the north-west from Bhuila.

I 12

REPORT OF TOURS IN THE ■

6. — The birth-place of Kanaka m 4 ,ni, at Khopoa Dih^ near KanakpAr,
6 miles to the west from Bhmla. ^ ^ ^

y. — Kshemavati^ at a large mound of ruins near Khera-rdj-plirj in
the northern part of Parganah Amorha^ 13 miles to the west-north-
west from jBhu'xla.

8 . — The Rohini River, an old bed or former course of the Rawai,
or Roai, or Rohwai, river, which comes from the west of Sheopurj or, in
other words, the Dochuan Nala, which comes from the Bhuila Lake,
and passes by Burhapara._

9. — The River of Oil, the small Gadi and Majhora rivers, which
pass to the south of Sheopur, and unite below Hardi.

10. — The Lumbini Garden, probably near Sheopur ; or between Sheo-
pur and Burhapara.

11. — The tank in which the infant Buddha was washed, probably a
tank to the south-west of Burhapara Dih,

12. — Koli, or Vyaghrapuva, at a place called the Bar 4 h Chhetra,
or Varaha Kshetra, near an ancient embankmeut in a bend of the’
Kuano river, about 9^ miles to the east from Bhuila. Here there are
two elevated spots covered with fragments of brick and old pottery. The
VarS-ha Kshetra is the Vyaghrapuri of the Puranas.

13. — The Nyagrodha monastery, perhaps a mound of ruins close
to the north-west of Sheopur; and there is a village near it called
Bargadaiya, which is the same as the Sanskrit Nyagrodha. ' Or else, at
Bdwarpdra, about a mile and a quarter to the south of Bhuila Dih.

14. — Ramagrama, probably at an extensive mound of ruins, called
Koran Dih, near two places called Nagra and Bhagwanpur, to the
south-east of a large lake in Parganah Mhowlee (or Mahuli ?) , in the
southern part of the District of Basti, and distant 28 miles to the
east-south-east from Bhuila. Or else, at Warai Dih, a mound of ruins
about a mile and a half to the north-east of Maihson, or Mahesoh, in the
north-western corner of Parganah Mhowlee, and 20 miles to the south-
east from Bhuila.

15. — Maneya, probably a mound of ruins close to the south-east
of a place now called Mheneea in the maps, near a small river called
the Khudua Nala, in Parganah Hassanpurgarh, distant 36 miles to the
south-east from Bhuila.

I believe I have also discovered several of the ten
deserted towns mentioned by the Chinese traveller Huen
Thsang.

I will now proceed to notice, describe, and consider the
various places above mentioned, in due order, seriatim.

T.— BHUILA. .

In his Geog7'aphy of Ancient India, General Cunning-
ham has made the remark that “ no trace of the name .of
Kapila has yet been discovered.” This is literally true.
Even I myself, searching on the spot, and at the same time

CENTRAL DOAB AND GORAICPUR IN 'i8 74*75 & 1875.76. II3

scrutinising the names of places in the maps, have not been
able to find any place bearing a name that had the least
resemblance to that of Kapila, except, indeed, one -small
village called Kopal in the maps, situated to the north of
the upper part of the Ku&ni River, near BhAnpur Thana.
But there is no lake there (and it is thus totally wanting in
one of the most necessary features of Kapilavastu). More-
over, I have not been able to hear of any mound of ruins at
Kopal, and I find besides that there is another village
of the same name in Oudh.

But even although we might not be able to find any trace
of the actual name of Kapilavastu, yet it was quite possible
that some other name, or synonyme, of equivalent significa-
tion might have remained. It was also quite possible, or
indeed, perhaps probable, that Kapilavastu may have been
only the traditional, or classical, book name of the capital of
the SAkyas, and that the common, vulgar, or popular name
of the place, by which it was generally or familiarly known
among the local peasantry, may have been quite different. For
instance, the common, vulgar, or locally popular name of the
pargana in which Bhuila is situated, is Mama, or MahArawa ;
but in the maps it is called the Pargana of MansArnagar,
or Parganah Basti. In the case of Delhi neither the an-
cient Hindu 'name of the place, Indraprastha, nor the later
Muhammadan name of the place, ShahjahanabAd, are now
in use at all ; but only the name of which belongs

to a middle period of the history of the city, although con-
nected with an old tradition. So, also, the ancient city of
Safceta is now only known among the people as Apidfita (or
“Ayodhya"). Again, Pataliputra is now known as Patna.
And yet, in these three cases, the cities still exist, and are
now occupied by inhabitants ! How much more, then, may a
change of name, or the use of some more popular synonyme,
have taken place in the case of an ancient city like Kapila-
vastu, which no longer exists, and which was known to be
totally and hopelessly ruined and deserted, and entirely with-
out either king or people, nearly twelve centuries ago !

_ Now, it struck me that at least the termination ila of the
two names of Kap-ila and Bhu-ila was exactly the same,
and that there might be something in that ; and that the
two first syllables of the two names Kap and Bhti
might, perhaps, eventually, on analysis, turn out to be syno-
nymous ; for the Sanskrit radical Kd is said to signify earth
or soil, and hhu also signifies ground, or land, or place.

VOL. XII. H

REPORT OF TpURS IN THE

1 14

But the difficulty was, what to make of the letter p in the
syllable Kap of Kapila, unless, indeed, we supposed that
Bhuila was a corruption of Bhhpila ; and that as Bhup
meant king, sovereign, so also Kap might mean head, or top,
or chief, as the root of the Sanskrit word Kapdl, which
means head, forehead^ which is also found in the Greek
Kephale 2 ind. Kep halos, a.nA in the Latin Caput dcnA ,Capia,
the German and the English cap and cope and cape.

In the Gaelo-Celtic language Copan means the pan of the
head, or the hollow of skull. The Greek word Kephalos has
been shown by Max Muller to be a mythological name for
the Dawn, as well as the Latin Capta. Now, the Dawn has
also been connected with and personified as the god of
Love, and hence we find the Sanskrit Kama represented by
the Gaelo-Celtic Camh and Camhanach, which mean the
Dawiij from which we have also the Gaelo-Celtic Caonih,
which means affection, loving-kindness, geniality, and Caomha-
chas, which means dalliance, sensual love, lust. And as,-
according to Celtic rules, Cao77iJi, love, is derived from Camh,
which means the Dawn, it proves that the first idea or con-
ception of' the Sanskrit Kama must have been as the Dawn !
Now, in the above words we also find the root Ka. We
must also remember that the Greek E7'os signified both Love
and the Dawn, according to Max Muller ; and. that Kepha-
los, the husband of Prokris (that is P7'dx, the Dew), was also
one of the Greek mythological names of the dawning sun, or
the morning. The root Ka, or Kap, is also found in the Sans-
krit compound words Vrishd-kapi and Vrisha-kapdyi, which
are used in the Rig Veda, apparently as epithets of the dewy
dawn, and of the glittering light of the morning sun ; and
the Sanskrit Vrisha-kapi is evidently the same as the Greek-
Erikapaeos.

In Latin, Capta was a name of Minerva, who, being the
same as the Greek Athe7te, was also the same as the Sanskrit
Ahd77d, the day, the dawn, the morning.

If, therefore, the Sanskrit radical Kap may originally have
referred to the tremulous light of the early dawn, or the nod-'
ding head^ of day, and then afterwards have come to mean
head, or tip, or top, it would have much the same meaning as
hhup, '‘chief,” or "king,” or “ sovereign.”

The above explanation so far, I allow, is not altogether
satisfactory,^ but I cannot think of any better.

Next, with regard to the termination ila, \n Kap-tla and
Bhn-ila, the Buddhist ‘Chronicles of Tibet say that, when

• CENTRAL DOAB AND GORAKPUR IN 1874-75 & 1875-76. 115

the infant Buddha, or ^dkya Mdni, was bbrn^ he was carried
by his aunt Gotami to a temple, to do homage to the god
L^haP This divinity, L^ha, I would identify with the Sans-
krit IIA, the daughter of the Sun, or with the obsolete
masculine form, lias, or Alias, the son of IIA, the Sun
himself, probably the same as the Trojan mythical hero-patri-
arch, Ilos, as the name of Ilos is connected with the Greek
words xV^, “ a ball,” and illoy to roll,” to turn,” " to revolve.”
Again, the Tibetans are said to have also called Kapilavastu
L* has-bstan^' which has been interpreted as meaning “ shown
by a god ;” but I am much more inclined to consider this
Tibetan appellation as a mere corruption of the Sanskrit
Alia sya-sthdna^ or Ildyas-sthdna^ meaning the place of the
sun.”

Now, according to a Tibetan tradition made known by
Csoma de Koros, and quoted by General Cunningham in his
“Ancient Geography of India,” Kapilavastu “ was founded by
some descendants of the Solar hero Gotama, on the bank of
a lake near the river Rohini in Kosala.” Mark the word Soiar
in the above. In the genealogical lists of the PurAnas, also,
the names of Sahya^ or Stddhdrtha, and Suddhodana^ are
mentioned in the line of the Solar race. Buddha, or Sakya
Muni, was also called Arkabandhu^ or “ Kinsman of the
Sun.”

From the tendency of all of the foregoing points of evi-
dence, therefore, it would appear most natural that the infant
Buddha, who was of the Solar race, and who was called " a
Kinsman of the Sun,” should be first carried to a temple of the
Sun In order to do homage to the Sun, as his own supposed
divine progenitor. The ” temple of the god ” L’ha must there-
fore clearly have been a temple of the Sun, and the god L'ha
must have been the Sun, — that is, llaSy or Atlas, as the mascu-
line of lid, the Sanskrit name of “ the daughter of the Sun.”

Hence Bhd-atlasya, or Bhii-tldyds, or Bhd-ild, would
mean “ the land (or place) of the Sun,” or "of the Sunrise,”
and this I believe to be the true meaning and derivation of the
name of Bhuila, which, again, would thus correspond to
Jldyas-sthdna, or Ailasya-sthdna, the " place of the Sun,”
which I believe to be the true rendering of the Tibetan Vhas-
bstan. Now, it is worthy of remark that Ild~warta, or lld~
vrtl, is a name given to one of the divisions of India, in the

‘ Csoma Korosi, As. Res., Vol. XX., p. 289, quoted by Mrs. Speir, ” Life m
Ancient India,” p. 257.

REPORT OF TOURS IN THE

1 16

“ Bhagavat” and “ Vishnu Pur^nas,” and I believe that‘//«-
warta might be identified with Bhti-ild, or “ the land of lid} ”
Again, the Sanskrit radical 7m, as meaning “ earth ” or
“ soil,” corresponds to the Greek ” y^,” and the Gaelo-Celtic ce,
” earth.” Hence Kd-ilasya would correspond to Bliu-ilasya,
and, by contraction, Kd-ilas would correspond to BJiu-
ilas. But Kailas is the name of the mountain Paradise
of Kuvera and of Siva, and Kapdli is a name of Siva.
Thus Bhuilas would be equivalent to Kailas, and Kapdh-
vastu would mean “ the abode of Siva.” But it might
also mean “ the place of skulls.” Now^, it _ is remarkable
that there is actually a famous Lingam of Siva, at Bhuila,
which is called ” BJimlesliwar and that there is also an
imaginary tomb (or really the remains of the site or founda-
tions of some former temple, or vihdra) at the same place,
which is vulgarly called the tomb of BhoH Shahid (a curious
combination of Hindi and Arabic, meaning “ the innocent
martyr”). But Bholdndth, ox Bhola-isJiwai'j ox BJi6l-esh'wa7'a,
is a well-known name of Siva ! I believe, however, that
this name of Bliold Shahid may be simply a corruption of
Bhold Siddhaj meaning “ the innocent saint,” or of Bhold
Sarir, meaning '' the innocent corpse ; ” and that it really
refers to the statue of ” the dead man,” one of the “ four pre-
dictive signs ” which Buddha encountered ; for, according to
Huen-Thsang, the statue, or image, of the “ dead man” -^vas
placed opposite to one of the gates of Kapilavastu, wdiich
Is exactly the position of the pretended tomb of Bhola
Shahid.

But now I have to prepare the way for some further, and
perhaps rather startling, remarks on the name of Kapila, —
which I think will at least excite some curiosity, — by at once
making the bold statement that the legend of the Dun Cow
has here ” come upon me,” in three different shapes !— (I am
writing this on the spot.)

Who has not heard of the old European legends about
“ the Dun Cow, lowing from the hill sides, at morning and
evening;” and about the supposed “bones of the Dun Cow,”
Vhich were long preserved in many an ancestra.1 mansion ?
These legends were preserved in the hilly parts of England,

is right, however, that I should mention that the name of “Bhuila”
■'might just possibly be derived from the Hindi bhu-Jnld, which would mean
“ muddy land,” or “oozy land.” But in the same manner as the Hindi adjectives
mdlUd miUtld are formed from the nouns matt and mittt, so also an

adjective bJiMla might be formed from bhu.

CENTRAL DOAB AND GORAKPUR IN 1871-75 k 1875-76 117

in the Hartz mountains of Hanover, and among the Canta-
brians of Spain.

Who has not heard the popular saying, “ May the Du?i
Cow come upon you” ? — Ay, and she is about to “ come
upon us ” now.

Has any one ever thought of the actual literal meaning of
the three names — Kapiloy Gotamay Gantavid or Gmtiami — and
Rohinil I say that the whole three of these names mean either
a “ brown cow,” a ” dusky cow,” or a “ dun cow ” ! In Sans-
krit Kapal means “ brown," or" dun-coloured ;” w^AKapild
a common and well-known name for " brown cow ” or “ a
dun cowT

Again, or oxgaUy oxgdVy means " a cow ; ” and i&md
means “ dark,” or “ dusky ;” — and hence, gotdma, or gatidarnd
woA gotavitox gau-tdmiy would literally mean a " dusky cow,”
or a " dark-coloured cow ” !

Lastly, with regard to the name of the Rohini river. In
^ Sanskrit rohit means " brown,” or " dun-coloured ; ” and
RoMtdy or the RohitSy is the name given, in the Rig Veda, to
the two brown horses of AgJti, or " the Sun.”

“ Yoke the Arushis to thy cart, O bright Agnif — the
Harits, the Rohits! — with them bring the gods to us I”
— VedUy i. 14, 12.)

Again: " Hear thou, brilliant Agniy my prayer; whether
the two sydvd (black) horses ” bring thy cart, or the two
roliitd (brown), or the two arnsha (white) horses. — {Rig
Veda, ii. 10, 2.)

And again •. " Yoke the Harits and the RohiiSy or the Aru»
s/idSy which are in thy stable.” — {Rig VedUy vli. 42, 2. See
Max Muller’s Comparative Mythology ; Oxford Essays, p. 83 )

I shall now be able to prove that rohini is the feminine
of rohitd ; and that rohini means a " brown cow.”

Rohini is derived from rohit y “ brown, ” in the same
manner as harindy "bright brown,” is derived from harity
“ bright,” (or " golden,” from) karat.

It is worthy of remark that the feminine forms of the
Vedic names of the " horses” of the da'wn were applied to cows.
Thus, arushd meant " the two white horses ; but drusht meant
" a cow.” Max Muller says, " drushi is used for cow ; for in-
stance {Rig Veda, viii. 55, 3), where a poet says he has received
four hundred cows, drushindm kdtuh satdm'^ These dru-
sMSy or " bright cows,” belong more particularly to the dawn,
and instead of saying the " day dawns,” the old poets of the
Veda say frequently, " the bright cows return” {Rig Veda,

REPORT OF TOURS IN THE

s i8

i. 92, I ’)• We found that the Haritsw^xe sometimes changed
‘‘ into seven sisters,” and thus the Arushis, also originally “ the
bright cows,” underwent the same metamorphosis ; —

“ The seven sisters, the Arushis (the bright cows), knew
of the sun” {Rig Veda, x. 5, 5) ; or, again, ” When the sun
flew up, the ArasMs refreshed their bodies in the water.”

Sanskrit scholars hardly need to be told that this dnisht
is, in reality, the feminine of drvd, or drvdii (” a horse.” —
(Comparative Mythology, Oxford Essays, p. 83).

And, in the same manner as arvn.n, or arim, elsewhere
represents “the sun,” so2\soarnshd comes to represent “ the
sun” himself!.

“ Him the god Agni, they adorn and purify every day
like a horse that has run his race, like Arushd, the bright
sun, the young child of Dyaus (‘heaven’)” {Rig Veda, vii,
15,6; p. 85).

Max Miiller has elsewhere shown how hariiid, “ bright
brown,” is derived from harit, “ bright.” In like manner
rohina may be derived from rohit. Now, hannt is the femi-
nine of ha 7 'ind, in the same manner as drusht is the feminine
of a 7 'ushd; and therefore 7 'oJnnt is the feminine of rohind.
But if di'usld means a “ white” or “ bright cow,” then roMni
would mean a “ brown cow” 1

But 7 'ohit is also the Sanskrit name for a “ roe deer^” or
for a kind of deer resembling a roe ; and hence it is evident
that, as the name of a colour, I'ohit, or I’oJiioi, means what
we would call rufous, or a fawn colour, or a fawn-coloured
brown, or tawny or tan colour.

Hence, as has been shown : —

1. Rohini means a “ brown cow” or “ fawn-coloured cow.”

2. Kafild means “a brown or dusky cow.”

j. Go-tdma, or gau-taind, or ^zzzz-^«7;z^ means a “ dusky ”
or “ dark-coloured cow.”

Hence, the gautamas would mean the " dark coloured ” or
“ dusky cows 1” Kapild-vastu would mean “ the place of the
dun cow ! ” And I'oJmti (as applied to a river) would mean —
“the brown cow river” or simply “ the brown river.”^

’ It is curious that a connection of ideas, between “ cows” and the " dawn,”
is also preserved in the Hindi language; for, in Hindi, *‘poh” means “the
dawn,” and “ p6h& ” means “ kine,” or " cattle.”

2 The' Aryan root rok, or ip, or rav, from which the Sanskrit rohii
and Yohin (brown) are derived, is also found in the English word roan, the
French vouan, and the Spanish roano ; and also in the Greek povciog “clear
brown,” and the Latin rtissus, the English rnsset^ and also in the Saxon, ruddu,
the English ruddy, and the Celtic rodatdh and yKnrf/i, red, “ rufous, ” tawny:” '
and also in the Celtic riabhach ” drab,” “ brindled,” “ tabby.” Hence also the
name of the “ roedeer” from its colour, the Sanskrit name of which is rohiU

CrSTHAL nOAU AND C.OHAKPUR IS iS;4‘;s A i8;s j6 HQ

Ucncc, when we rend that /Ca/’tfit^rasfu, or
wns foundctl by somcdcsccnd.mtsof the Solar litro “
on the bank o! the river it means simidy that " the

? )lacc of the dun cow,*' or “the city of the uun cow," was
ounded by some of the ^irogcny of one of “ the dusky cows
of the dawn," near the "nver of the brown cow* ** !

Assuredly, then, the dim cow Ins come upon us, at
vas/:i /

But, in Hindi, Aj/ri means the *' dawn and is only a
corruption of the SansV ril nifn / A^jam, m I lindi, /<;// means the
“dawn;" and or means “ cattle, or ktne " Thus,

fohMd mt|»hl mean either “the dawn of the sun,” or “ the
cattle of the sun." Now, ya/r-rAf bears a \cry close resem*
blancc to B/utt/a."

It is evident, therefore, that the whole sior) about Kapila*
vaslu, is a mere loj^cndarj* fable, derived from the mclaphoncal
myths of the Vedas, about the sun and the dawn

The Cnutnmn Rajputs mif»hi, therefore, well he called
“ the children of the vitsf "

Even the Rishi Kapila liimself would appear to be as
unreal and ni) lineal as the horse-headed Ptifir^atich, or Dad-
/;rV/; d/imrV of the SihAneswarn traditions, whose name is also
connected with the le^jends of the dawn, in the Veda,
where the “ horse" is an emblem of the sun, and “ the head of
the horse" is an emblem of the “nsinj; sun" or the dawn.
It is therefore perliaps a ciinous coincidence that, while
is a Greek myiholo/pcal name for the “ nsin/; sun "
or “the mominj; dawn," caf>a/i means a “horse" m the
Gaclo-Ccllic lanf;uaf;e.

Now, ii is rein irkahlc that u is said that the Gima-
mas had at first established tlicm selves near the dwelling
of the Sage Kapila; but ns the lowing of llitir kine disturbed
his meditations, they founded their new city at some dis-
tance !* The mention of the “ lowing of kine," or cows, in
this slor}' is significant ; and in accordance witli my former
interpretations, in the sense of iltc Vetlic m)lhs I consider
it simply to mean that “the progeny of the dusky cove,"
that is," the clouds of the gray of the morning," or" the mists
of the dawn," had settled down about the "dun cow," that
is, around the pale yellowish-red light of the dawn, but

*T 1 ie mmc of Djdhnnch ttovild nppcir to mcnrultc ** Milkj
it n ippirrntly derived fiorn daeiht, “ curdled ” milk, and attefitt, * n breaiit,*’ “ a
licm, or Iwrdcr.”

* * Ancient Geogr.ipHj of Indn,” p. 416

120

REPORT OF TOURS IN THE

that, as they dimmed or obstructed the straggling rays of
light, they were compelled to disperse, or to disseminate,
by the rising sun !

It is therefore perhaps rather a curious coincidence that,
as I before remarked, lohi, in Hindi, means “ the dawn,” lohi
being merely a corruption of the Sanskrit rolii ; and that the
Hindi word poh also means “ the dawn,” and that/W/rHn Hindi
means ” kine, or cattle,” and that poh-iln might mean either
“ the dawn of the sun,” or ” the cows of the sun ;” and that
this compound bears some slight resemblance to the name of
Bhiiila.

The story about Gotama and his descendants, and the
sage Kapila, and the future Buddha, might also be inter-
preted metaphorically, in a moral sense ; allowing the literal
meanings of the mere words Gautama and Kapila to be
taken for granted, for the sake of argument ; and that the
dim, dun-coloured dawn of the rising sun of intelligence
was personified as a sage called Kapila^ who was reputed
to have taught certain moral and philosophical principles,
which were, in substance, very nearly the same as the doctrines
which were afterwards enunciated by Buddha, in his preach-
ing of dliarma^ and the theory of nirvana^ or emancipation.
One can discern the philosophy of Kapila lurking at the
bottom of nearly every precept or tenet that was taught by
Buddha.*

The descendants of Gotama might be likened to the
eocene mists and vapours of the early gray of the morning,
just beginning to be touched by the tints of the dawn ; or
like conscious ignorance groping after instruction.

The sage Kapila was, as the first dimly glimmering bronzed
rays of the dawn of intelligence or understanding, ready to
break forth and to illumine the horizon.

Buddha {buddJn, “intelligence”) was “ the rising sun of a
clear and defined knowledge,” “ a knowledge of self,” and “ a
knowledge of man’s moral nature.”

The whole story reads like an epic, descriptive, first, of
ignorance groping after enlightenment, or understanding ;
secondly, the first inklings of thought and intelligence; and
lastly, the full burst of self-knowledge, or conscience, to man:

ancient Hindu traditions, ILapila is the name of a diluvian hero who
guided the "ark,” and secured it to a rock or mountain. Hamilton Smith
notic^ this m his Natural History of Man,” p, 17 1, where he says: —

. * There is Naubandana, perhaps Dhawalagiri, where the patriarch god himself,

H* it to the rock, according to

CENTRAL DOAB AND GORAKPUR IN !8;4*?S if iS/s-?©. 12 I

The question began to be asked , “ What is being ? What
is existence ? ” The answer was, “ Seek understanding
and the result was the moral, Man, know thyself.’^

The knowledge of self, a knowledge of his own moral
nature, was like a piercing bust of the clear light of the sun
to man’s understanding. And hence, that which was first
known as Kapilay or “the glimmering dull browm cows”
of the Vcdic dawn of understanding, came to be afterwards
termed “ BhtiMd^ ” or the land of the " sun-light ” of know-
ledge.

3?rom the tradition which I before quoted concerning the
origin or founding of the city of Kapilavastu, which I have
shown is probably a mere mythological fable, it would seem
that the Sakyas were supposed to be descended from a patri-
arch of the Solar race called Gotama ; and that, therefore, the
Sakyas might be identified :\ith the Gautama tribe of Ksha-
triyas ; or that the present Gautama Rajputs of the Basti Dis-
trict might be the descendants of the Sakyas. This idea has
received support from the two following facts, namely, firstly,
that a person named Gautama^ the founder of a religious sect,
is stated by the Jain Chronicles to have been a pupil or dis-
ciple of M&h&vira, the last of the Jain patriarchs, or Tirthaii
karas ; and secondly, that Buddha is called Gautama^ Gauda-
inUy or Godamay by the Burmese and others. In like man-
ner, this idea as to the Gautama origin of the Sakyas might
also receive some support from the circumstance, mentioned in
the Tibetan Buddhist Chronicles, that the infant Buddha, or
Sakya, was ta'ken'oy bfis aunt, ca’fled Gotami or Gautaml,'^
to pay adoration to the god L’ha.

But, as I have already previously explained, the word
Got am y or Gortiam, is evidently a term of mythological origin
and signification. The first syllable, or gau, taken in
a masculine or general sense, might mean any animal of
the cow kind, — that is, a bull or ox^ as tdvi, or ia 7 ndy
means either "dusky,” or "brown,” or "copper-coloured,”
gotavia would mean either a "brown bull,” or, metaphorically,
a " brazen bull,” which would be an epithet either of the “ rising
sun,” or of the " setting sun,” as the " bull ” is frequently used
to signify " the sun” in the poetical language of the jRtg Veda.
In like manner, gautami would mean " a dusky cow,” or
"brown cow,” which might bear reference to one of the Vedic
" cows " of the early dawn. Gotama M^ni was one of the seven
Rishis, who were said to have been born directly from Brahma.
But as a solar hero, Getama evidently represented the sun

122

REPORT OE TOURS IN THE

himself ; for the name of his wife was Ahalyfl,^ which is the
same as the old Sanskrit Aharyd, and which is one of the
mythological names either for “ the day,” or "the night,” or
for the “ dawn,” or ” the twilight ;” and the story about AhalyA
being deceived by Indra, who assumed the form of her hus-
band Gotama, is simply a repetition of one of the well-known
myths about the dawn and the sun.* A/idj' means ” day,” and
Ahaly^ was said to be the daughter of Brahm^. Indeed,
a Gotama, as a solar patriarch, is probabl)^ only another
name for the mortal Solar hero Aharyu, which is the mas-
culine of Aharya or Ahalya," and is probably the original
of

1 have also already identified the god L’ha, of the
Tibetan traditions, with the Sanskrit //as, or Atlas, meaning
“ the sun,” as the masculine of lid, which is the well-known
name of ” the daughter of the sun.” The Sanskrit is pro-
bably represented by the Greek Ilos, the son of Tros, and
it may be connected with the Greek words iKr,, or tVd,
“ a ball,” and Txxoi “ to revolve,” ” to roll,” " to turn.” Now, it Is
worthy of remark that Buddh, the Indian Mercury, is said to
have married Ila, the daughter of the sun ; and their son was
called Alias, who was the same as Pnruravas, or Vasts-
which are names of the sun in the Rig Veda. Piirtir
avas says, “I, the brightest sun, I hold Urvasi (the dawn),
her who fills the air, who spreads the sky.” Vasishtha is
called “ the son of Mitra and Varuna,” that is, the son of
night and day. And in the same manner as the Sanskrit
Allas was the son of Buddha and 114, and as Vasishtha
was the son of Mitra and Varuna, so also the Greek Ksd^aXoi
was at one time the son of Hermes and Herse, and at
another time the son of Endymion and the husband of Prokris
(that is, “the Dew”). In the Rig Veda, Pfirurv’^as is
called “ Aida, the son of Ida,” and as Agni is also called
“ Aida, the son of Ida,” it is plain that the names of “ Alda ”
and “ Pur-hravad^ really mean Agnl, or “ the sun.” The
Sanskrit Arusha, when signifying “the sun,"” m the Rig Veda,
is also called “ the son of Dyaus and Ida.” Now, in this
case, Dyaus means “ Heaven,” and means “ Earth ;” and
we have already seen that Vasishtha was the son of Mitra and
Varuna or “ Heaven and Earth ;” and therefore Vasishtha cor-

^ " Rd^hirakutas,” or Edhtor Rajputs of India, are said to have been the
progeny of this liaison between Indra and Ahalya, the wife of Gotama Mfini.

* See Max Miiller’s " Lectures on the Science of Language,” second series,
p. $02, foot-note.

CENTRAL DOAB AND GORAKPUR IN 1874-75 & 1875*76- 1 23

responds to Arusha. So also, the Greek Eros^ whicli has
been identified with the Sanskrit Arusha^ was the son of
Zeus, or Arfis and Aphrodite, and the Latin Cupid was at
one time the son of Jupiter and Venus, or of Mars and Venus
Aurora, and at another time the son of Erebus and Nox, The
Greek word Ida is really the feminine of idos^ which means
“heat;” and although, as a proper name, is commonly
applied as the name of a mountain covered with forest, it
must evidently anciently have been a name of Venus, or Kup-
ris, or Aphrodite, in the same manner as Idatos was the name
of a mythical Trojan herald, but really meant “ the Herald of
the Dawn;" and Idaios was also a name of Zeus and Apollo.
Ats, Atdos, Aides f and AtdoneuSt also, were names of Pluto.
There was a city called Ida/itan, ivhich was sacred to Venus,
or Kupris, in the island of Cyprus, where Venus was bom ;
and it was also on Mount Ida, in Phrj'gia, that Paris gave
the apple to Venus.’ It is therefore very probable that the
Sanskrit name Idd may orimnally have meant “mother "(as
ivell as “ earth,” 7^, or terra), and might have been applied
either to the dawn, or to the goddess of love ; and in that case
/fffl would correspond to //rf, “the daughter of the sun,” or
the doTvn, ;n the same manner as Aida corresponds to Ai/as.
For we have already seen that Aitas, or Purtlravas, was the
son of ltd ; and that Aida, or Punlravas, was the son of Idd,
Consequently it has been clearly proved that Ild is the
Dawn, and that Ailas is the Sun, Ild-awart, or Ild-vrif,
would therefore mean an eastern division of the county ; and
I believe it to be identifiable with the country about Ehd-ila,
or the land of the Dawn, — that is, with the kingdom of Kapila-
vastu.

While speaking of the name Aila, I may mention, as
a curious coincidence, that about 3 miles to the south-east
from Bhuila TAl there is a small lake called Aila TAI.
During the rainy season, the surplus waters of the Bhuila
TAl find an exit, eastwards, by the DochuAn NAla, and a
southerly turn of the DochuAn NAla finds its way into the
Aila TAl ; and thus, when there is a great flood of water, a
portion of the surplus water of the Bhuila TAl actually finds
Its way into the Aila TAl, Here, then, we find a lake called

* The Greek names of KupHs (Venus) and of Kuhile {CybilS), and the
Latin verb cuph, “to desire,” and the name of Cttpidt are evidently connected
\vith the Greek verb ««»/)««> “ to rut/’ “ to lust after,” “ to become lascivious ;”
and also with the Sanskrit hapal, “brown,” and the Old High German (or High
Catholic) chuphar, “copper, brass.” But kupra was the Etruscan name of Juno.

124

REPORT OF TOURS IN THE

Bhu-ila- closely connected with another lake _ called Aila.

I have therefore a strong suspicion diat the original ancient
name of the Bhuila Lake was simply “ Ila TM,” or “ the lake-
of lid;'' while the land around it was called Bhu Ila, or “ the
land of Ild." **

I therefore feel satisfied that the god L'ha, of the Tibetan
traditions, is the Sanskrit Ila, the Dawn (or daughter) of the
Sun and that the Tibetan name of “ L'haabstan, as applied
to Kapilavastu, corresponds to the Sanskrit Ailasya-st liana,
which would mean “ the place, or abode, of the sun which
would correspond to Bhu-lld, ” Bawn-land, land of the dawn-
ing sun and to Ild-warta, “ a quarter, or division, of the
country, towards the rising sun.”

If, therefore, we say that Gautami took the infant Buddha,
the descendant of Gotama, to pay adoration to the god L’ha,
it simply means “ that one of the dusky ‘ cows,’ or first glim-
mering herald clouds of the early dawn, carried intelligence
{buddhi), the issue of the ‘ brown bull ’ (or brazen bull), that
is, of the rising sun, that it might adore or acknowledge the
sun in his full glory.”

But, would it be believed, the Roliits and the Harits (the
horses of the sun), as well as Aida, Ida, and Ild or Hi, are
actually included in the genealogies of the Bhagavat Puran,
among the ancestors of the Solar race of kings ; and are thus
made to be the ancestors of Sakya Muni (see the names of
Moliita, Harita, Aida-bida, and Ili-mta, in Prinsep’s Useful
Tables, Ind, Ant., Vol. II, p. 233).

Now, the S^kyas of Kapilavastu claimed to be of the
Solar race, and Buddha was called Arkabandhu or “ kinsman
of the sun;” and therefore, in saying that they were the
“ descendants of the Solar hero Gotama,” it was simply meant
to say that they were descended from the sun ! For go-tama,
the ” brown bull,” or ” brazen bull,” meant the sun !

But however that rnay be, the present Gautama Rajputs
of the district of Basti are, in my opinion, or as far as I can
learn, apparently most decidedly not the descendants of the.
ancient Sakyas of Kapilavastu at all !

If the Gautama Rajputs were really the descendants of
the Sakyas, then surely they would have preserved some re-
membrance of the name of Sakya, and of the name of Kapila-
vastu, the ancient capital city of the Sakyas. But, alas I on
the contrary, the Gautama Rajputs of this district appear to^
be totally ignorant on the subject ;-and they do not seem even'
ever to have heard either the name of Sakya or of Kapilavastu.

CENTRAL DOAB AND GORAICPUR IN 1874*75 1^75.70. l2$

Some G.iutam R^jpOt villagers, wlio were questioned on the
subject, said that they had never heard of any such people as
the or of Sdh'n or ButWia ; and that they

never heard of any such place as Kapilava^tn, or Kapilanagar.
And when they were asked if Gautams had founded either
the old khira near Nagar Khds^ or the ancient city of which
the ruined mounds remained at Bhuila, they said no, that
they had not ; and lliat these ancient sites had been founded,
or had existed, before the time of the Gautam R^ij. They
said that they did not know who had founded the ancient
khdra at Nagar KhAs, but that it was founded by some other
people, and not by the Gautams. Indeed, thej said that
they had heard that the old kh^ra^ or dihy was in existence
before they came; and they stated, moreover, that they (the
Gautams) had come from somewhere in the south, at a not
very ancient period, or during the middle ages, and in the time
of the Pathdns ! With regard to Bhtitla Dih^ they said
that they knew of it as an ancient place, which they heard
had been founded by the Thftrus.

It is thus evident that the Gautams do not lay cLaim to any
antiquity of occupation in this part of the country ; and that
they do not profess to have founded any of the ancient places
in it ! The Gautams may be ignorant, but it is impossible to
force that upon them of which they do not knoAV anything,
which they will not own to, or which they deny !

There are three principal RAjpdt clans in this part of the
country, namely, the “ Kdialid?js(is** the “ Gauiams^' and the
and there are also a few S^^ryava7^sas. But there are
also several other Rftjpfit clans or families scattered through
various parts of the Basti and Gorakhpur districts, namely,
the /' Raikimr^' the " Barwar^' the “ Mahara-voar^' the '* Kau^
the Siritct, the " Rahior^' the " Bdla Sultan^* the
“ Bats*' and some Somvansts. All these people are very igno-
rant, and do not know anything at all about the ancient history
of the country. The “ Kdlahatis " are noAV in possession of
Bhuila ; but they know that they were intruders here. They
know that they came from the Avest ; and they say that they
are " Angirasesy* orw’ere descended from“ Angiratts Muni."
The Kdlahans are said to have originally come from a place
called “ Gdhetnunja Baguldnc" somewhere in North-Western
India ; but one story makes them to have come from Revia^
and to have cut off the head of the then Raja of Basti,
who was of a different race.* The Kdlahans also say that
* The ancient Rajns of Bash or ^^ara^\a were of the Maliarawiir tribe.

126

REPORT OF TOURS IN THE

they were preceded by the Bhars here ; and that the Bhars
were preceded by the Thdvus, The Bisbit Rdjputs^ on the
other hand, are rather a superior and portly-looking race of
men ; but they also are intruders. The Bisbn are now found
at “ kot,” and at Gonda, &c. ; but they say that they origin-
ally came from “ Majhatdi^^ about 30 miles to the south-east
of Gorakhpur. The “ Suiya-vansis ” are found in Amorha
Pargana, and they are divided into three different Septs ^ ox
families, namely, the Kumar" or " Kuwar" or genuine
Suryavansis, the “ Naga,” and the “ Sauhaga." The “ Raik-
war” are at Basti and Gorakhpur, the “Barwar” at Sisswa
and Karar ; the Maharawar\.o the east ; the “ Kausik” at Bar-
heapar and Gopalpur, to the south of Gorakhpur ; the “ Sirnet”
(and sovcio Gautamiyans) at Bansi ; the " RaJitor” at " Bagh-
dih" north-east of Basti; the " Somvanis ’’near Basti; the
Bais at Amorha ; and theBdla Sultan near Ganeshpur. What,
then, has become of the descendants of the genuine old S5.kyas
of Kapilavastu ? Are they extinct, or did they retire to the
north, among the mountains and forests, when Buddhism was
being persecuted and extinguished in India?

With regard to the name of the SA.kyas, I must confess
that I have long suspected that the word “S5.kya“ may not
have been a common Sanskrit term, or may perhaps originally
not have been a word of Sanskrit origin at all ! Even the term
“ Saka,” as applied to an era, was originally a word introduced
to indicate a particular era which was instituted by the great
king Salivaliaii^ who was also called Sakaditya, which means
“ Lord of the Sakas^” as well as Sak^ri, “ Enemy of the
Sakas.” But some think that it 'took its commencement from
the date of a victory which was gained by Saliv&han over a
•people called Sakas, who are supposed to. have been Scythians;
it would therefore appear to be a foreign word, derived from a
foreign people.

This word “Saka” (pronounced “Shaka”) I hold to be
quite distinct from another term, Saka, which I suppose to
be a genuine Sanskrit word, corresponding to the Latin
“ seculum,” signifying simply an era of any kind, or any era
in general. I would therefore wish to draw a strong and
marked distinction between these two words, “Shaka” and
“ Saka.”

Now, the term “Sakya” (pronounced “ Shakya”), as the
proper name of a people or tribe, appears to me to have the form
of an adjective noun, or a secondary noun, derived from “ Saka”
(pronounced “ Shaka”), the name of a nation; -like “ Khasa”

CENTRAL DOAB AND GORAKPUR IN 1874.75 & 1875.76 1 27

and Khasiya ; in the same manner as “ Gautamiya'*^ is derived
from “ Gautama,” or " dhanya ” from “ dhan,” or priya'” from
“ pri.” I therefore believe ” Sakya^’ to be simply a diminutive
form of “ Saka,” and to mean Saka-like, or of the Saka
sort, or lesser or secondary Sakas, or a colony originally
derived from the Saka nation, which had become Hindu-
ised and naturalised in India; or, in other words, an Indo-
Sakian tribe. I consider Sakya, as derived from Saka, to
correspond to such European terms as “ Romaic,” or “ Ro-
mance,” or “ Romanic,” as derived from ” Roma” or Roman;
or “Sclavonic” from Sclave; or “Arianian” from Aria or
Arian ; or “ Scythic ” and “ Scythian,” as compared to the
ground from Scyth ; or “ Britannic,” as compared to
British, Briton, or Britain ; or “ Puritanic,” or “ Puritanical,”
as compared to Puritan.

I have supposed Saka to be not a word of Sanskrit origin ;
but if Saka be derived from " Sak,” to be able, the root of the
Sanskrit term “ Sakti,” meaning power, then the name “ Saka ”
must be of Sanskrit origin, and would mean a powerful
people.

But if the Sakyas were an early off shoot from some Saka
nation, then the question is, were they derived from the Sakas
oi Kumaon, qx K urmmdvan^ '^\[OseVmg Sdkddiiyu, or Sakwan-
ti, captured Dilli in B. C. 60 ; or were they a colony left by
somo. Indo-Scythic Qx Parthian invaders or colon-

isers of India ? My own belief is that the “ Sakyas ”
were a mixed branch of the ancient Sakas of Kumaon, or
KurvividDan^ or Kiirinmachal^ who had long been settled on
the plains in Kosala^ or in the kingdoms of Srdvasti and
Kapildvastu^ and also in North Pancha. It is very certain that
the Sakas, whose great king was Sakaditya or Sakwanti
of Kumaon, were not confined to the hills merely, but that
they also possessed a large portion of the plains to the
north of Oudh and elsewhere; and that these Sakas had
already been in possession of a large tract of the plain
country, long before they captured Dilli. Nay, the very fact
of the capture of Dilli by the Sakas is in itself a proof
that they were already previously in possession of power
and territory on the plains, and had gained a firm foothold
in the country, either in the neighbourhood, or probably
not far off ; and it is likely that the Sakas who took Dilli
simply came from that part of the country which is now
called Rohilkhandy or anciently North Panchala^ and which
was also called “ Kattair,” or “ Kassair.”

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REPORT OF TOURS IN THE

There were also a people called “ Sakalas/’ who may
either have been Sakas, or they may have been the people
of Sangala.

Now, Prasenajit” IS said to have been the king of
Sravasti, in Northern Kosalco, in the time of Buddha, or Sakya
Muni; but in the Pauranic genealogical lists (as, for instance,
in the Vishnu Purana) the name of “ PrasenajiP' is placed in
the very same genealogical line and in the same category with
“ Sdkya” himself, and with his father Suddhodana and his son
Rdhula ; in fact, the name of Prascnajit is placed imme-
diately after that of Rdlmla, the son of Sdhya (Buddha).
It is therefore very evident that Raja Prasenajii was of the
same family as Sdkya Muni, or Buddha ; and that, therefore,
Prasenajit himself must have been a Sdkya. Indeed, it is
probable that since, as I have shown, the kings of Srdvasfi
must have been Sdkyas, that they were, in fact, by right of
descent, the chief or paramount RA.jas of the whole Sdkya
race ; and that, as the acknowledged head of the whole Sdkya
tribe, the Raja of Srdvasti possessed a certain amount of au-
thority over the Raja of Kapilavastu ; and that therefore the
Kapilavastu Sdkyas must have stood in much the same
position or relation to the Srdvasti Sdkyas that the Hdra
Chohans of Kota now stand with regard to the Hdra
Chohans of Btindi (Bundi being the older branch, and origin-
ally the head of both States. If you ask one of these Rdjpuis
who he is, he will say a “ Hdda ” or a “ Kichi ; ” but he is never-
theless a Chohdn. So also the Gautamiyas are a mixed
or inferior branch of the Gautams). Now, it is worthy of
remark that Prasenajit was called “ king of Kosala,” which
included Kapilavastu ! It is therefore all nonsense to talk
of “ Virudhaka^' the son of Prasenajit, as being “ an enemy
of the Sdkya race for, in that case, he would have been
an enemy of his own race, and a hater of his own family !
The real fact of the matter is that Vh'udhaka was not an
enemy of the Sdkyas generally at all, but that he was simply
an enemy of Buddhism, and that he only persecuted those
Sdkyas who had become Buddhists ; and he thus came to be at
enmity with his relatives at Kapilavastu. Mrs. Speir appears
to have had some good reason for being of the same opinion
that Prasenajit belonged to the same family, or race, as
“ Sdkya Sinha"' and Suddhodana j for, in her Life in Ancient
India (p.^ 280), she says, “ Prasenajit, ^ the king of Kosala,
was a friend, and probably a connexion, of Sakya Muni’s
father.”

CENTRAL DOAB AND GORAKPUR IN i874-75 & »875-76» 1 29

It is plain, therefore, that the two kingdoms of Srdvasti
and Kapila were both inhabited by tlie Sdkyd race. Now,
these two kingdoms taken together must have extended from
the Karndli, or KauridlUf river on the north-west, and from
Bahraich, on the upper part of the Sarjtt rivcr^ on the
west-north-west, to beyond Gorakhpur, or to Kusia, or Kusi-
nagara, on the east j the HimAlayas bounding the two king-
doms on the north, and the lower part of the Ghaghra river
forming a boundary on the south. Thus the Sdkyas of the
two kingdoms together inhabited a tract of country about
150 miles in length from east to west, by about 70 miles in
breadth from north to south ; in other words, the country of the
Sdkyas must have extended from North Paiichdlay or Rohil^
khajtdy on the west, to Mithila and Tirhilt on the east. The
north-western boundaries of the dominions of the^^/ty^j there-
fore actually met and touched, or impinged upon, the south-
eastern boundary of the realm of the Sdkas of Kuviaon or
Kurmmdvan. The two people were therefore close neighbours.
But General Cunningham includes the two northern hill dis-
tricts of Malhhum and Khdchi in the kingdom of Srdvasti;
and in that case the Sdkyas of Srdvasti must actually have
possessed a part of Kumaon, or “ Kurmmdvan p itself. By
the term '^Knmaott'* I mean, of course, not merely the present
political division known by that name, but the ancient region
of " Kurmmdvanl* or " Kurmmdchal** which extended along
the HimAlayas from Nepal proper to Kashmir,

Now, “ Sdkadwipd'^ is a name given to one of the divisions
of India in the Purdnas. Might not this refer to the country,
ih. ^nriinni SlAytrs, it's 'wdn vls 'lo'riie SrAwj xfi ’'^umaun, or
' Kurmmdvan ? In the Purdnas “ Sdkadwipa ” is made to be
^ a part of “ KushadwipaP which might mean a country inha-
bited by the “ KhasasP who are an ancient people of Kumaon,
or “ KurfjimdvanP as well as the Sdkas.

The principal original people of the region of ** Kur 7 nmd^
vanp or Kurmmdchaip were and are called **KhasasP
or KhasiyasP — which, by the way, reminds us of the
** Sdkas and Sdkyas ; for if ^'Khasa ” and “ Khasiya " be the
same, why should not ^^Sdka^' and ^^Sakya” be only two
forms of one and the same name ? The name of these “ Kha-
sasP QV K hasty as P is preserved in that of the district of
Khdchi” (before referred to as having formed part of the
kingdom of Sravastt), and also in the name of Kashmir,
which was anciently called Khdchi p and the whole region
of Kurmmdvan, or Kurmmdchal, was also called ”GacheP
VOL, XII

130

REPORT OF TOURS IN THE

or “ Gachchhe” The name of the kingdom of “ Gaelic y or
“ Gachchhe-rdj,'' is mentioned in an inscription at Kangra ;
and the Indio-Scythic king Kanishka Avas calied “ king of
Gachel' ^ But in the Tibetan chronicles, as quoted by Csorna
de Koros, Kanishka is said to have reigned at Kapila (that
is, at Kapilavasin^'^). It has also been seen that Sdkddi-
tya, the king of tlie Sakas, was called king of Kinnaon, that
is, of IGirmmdvanl^ or '^KunnnidcJidiy But "Gachchcl^
or “ Gdchel^ is allowed to be the same as ^'Khdchcl' or
" KJidcJn and this name is clearly connected with tliat of
the p.eople called KJiasas” or KJiasiyas” whose original
name may therefore perhaps have been Khach'’ or
KJidchiya” But the most ancient kingdom of Kashmiris
said to have been first founded by 'dTasyapa Muni," of the
Solar race. T^ow Kasyapa" literally means" protector,"
or " cherisher,” of ^'Kasya^ or of the " Kasyas."

It is therefore evident, from all that has been said above,
that the of Kumaon and the Khasas^' of

Kumaon must, in reality, originally have been one and the
same people ! But if the ^'Khasas " represent the Sakas, then
it follows that the I^hasiyas must represent the " Sakyas ; "
and I have aleady shown that " Khasa^' and ^^Khasya" are
simply variant forms of the same name, indifferently applied
to one and the same people, from which it would appear to
follow that the name of the Scikyas may also have been
simply a variant or diminutive form of the name of the
"S^.kas”!

Again, an ancient name of a division of Northern India
given in the Puranas is '‘J'CasernmatS or " KasernS which
evidently refers to some race of people called " Kasa." I
believe the " Kasas ” to be the traditional descendants
of ''Kasyapa MnniS of the Solar race, the mythical founder
of the kingdom of Kashmir.

Tamrapainia^' is the Pauranic name of another ancient
division of India, which might possibly refer to the copper-
yielding regions of Kumaon and Garhwal. Now, there is a
district of Garhwal which is called variously " RohS or

RohwtnS or" RolnvdhinS Avhich brings to mind what I
have^ said about the " Rohini'’ river, and the Sanskrit terms
"rohit" and" rohin," as meaning a reddish-brown colour.

Coins of Indian Buddhist satraps,” Cunningham, Journ, As. Soc., Rcng.,
i°54> P- 687.

* See Prinsep’s “ Indian Antiquities,” Vol. I, p. 38.

CENTRAL DOAB AND GORAKPUR IN 1874-75 8f 1875-76. 131

The people o{ Silhet are also called K hasty as

Khaspur is the capital of Kachdr^ and there ts a river in
Kachdr called the ^ " Kapiii'' which means the *' brown
river,” and which brings to mind what I have previously said
about Kapild.

Now, the Khasas or Khasiyas of the Himdlayas are the
close neighbours of two other hill tribes called the " Magars ”
and the ” Thdrits^^ the Magars being a hill tribe, and the
Thdrtis being partly a hill tribe and partly occupying a
• portion of the Tarai; and it is now pretty generally be-
lieved that the Gorkhas of Nep&l were in reality originally
either Magars^ or Khasas^ or Khasiyas ; indeed, this may
be said to be now a well-ascertained fact. But the Gorkhas
themselves nevertheless pretend to be descended from the
Sisodia^ Guhila^ or Gahi/ot family of Mewarl If there is
any truth at all in this pretended claim, it can only mean that
the Gorkhas were originally descended from a branch of the
same stock as that from which the Sisodias or Gahilois were
originally descended. Now, the Sisodias or Gahilois of
Mewar claim to be descended from "Kanaksena,^^ of the”
Solar race, who is said to have emigrated from the north
between A. D. 144 and 190, and to have settled in Saur&sh-
tra. But as Swnitra^ the ancestor of Kanaksena^ is by some
said to have been contemporary with Vikramddiiya^ there
must be some mistake in the date of KanaksefiOj unless the
“ Vikram&ditya " referred to was really the Indo-Scythic
king Kaiiishkay B. C. 57, in which case Kanaksena may be
identifiable with the '*Bhatarka Senapat'^ of the Gujarat
copperplates. According to Tod, Kanaksena was the suc-
cessor of ” Achilsena^^ vi\\o was the successor of ** Antariia,”
who was the successor of Maharitu," whose name (ac-
cording to the ^ain chronicles) follows immediately after
that of Snmifra” whose name is gwen in the Bndgavat
Purana^ and from whom the genealogical chronicles of
the Sisodias or Gahilois of Mewar trace their descent.

Siimiira ” was the successor of ^^Suratha'^ or ^^Surita,*'
^ who was the successor of ” Kundaka” who was the successor
of ” Kshudraka'^ Romaka, who was the successor of ” Prdsena-
jii*^ (king of Srdvasfi)^ whose name in the Panranic lists is
made to follow immediately after that of Rahnla^ who was the
son of ^^Sakyd^ (that is, Sakya Muni', or Buddha), who was the
son of Suddhodana, who was the son of ” Sanjaya,” or
• ” Sinhahdna Kabdna,' who was the successor of ” Rananjaya,”
who was the successor of ” Kritanjaya,” who is said to have

132

REPORT OF TOURS IN THE

emigrated from Kosala, and to have founded the nation of
the “ Suryas/’ or “ Sauryas/’ or “ Suras/’ in " Saurashtra.”

Now, “ Potala,” or the “ harbour,” is the name given in
Buddhist writings to a city in the delta of the Indus, in
which the Sakyas are said to have lived before their migra-
tion to Kapilavastu.^ This place must therefore h^ve been
in Saurashtra. (It is remarkable that there is nothing at all
said in this about the Saky^ls as being Goutamas !)

Now, General Cunningham has himself remarked to me
(in the course of correspondence) that a people called
“ Sauras ” appear at one time to have been spread over the
whole of Northern India, and he stated that he had a strong
suspicion that Saurashtra was named after them. These
” Sauras ” were therefore very probably the descendants of
the patriarch Krita7ij ay a" of the Solar race, the great com-
mon ancestor of the Sakyas and the Gahilots, wlio is said
to have founded the nation of the Sauryas in Sau7'ashtra.

Savera ” would mean an Eastern people.

From all the foregoing facts which I have brought fonvard,
it is clearly manifest that the SisodiaSj or Guhilas, or Gahilots,
are descended from the same stock, nay, from the very same
family as the Sakyas of Kopilavastu, and Praseiiajit^ king
of Srdvasti ! Indeed, we might almost be justified in calling
the Sisodias, or Gahilots^ Sakyas.” It is therefore a curious
and significant circumstance that the Gorkhas of Nepal
claim to be descended from the same stock as the Sisodias
or Gahilots of Mewar ! And yet, as I have already stated,
the Gorkhas are now ascertained pretty certainly to have
been originally really either Magars or Khasas (or Khasiyas),
whom I liave previously identified with the ancient Sakas
of Kumaon or Gach^. And these very Gorkhas have proved
themselves to be stubborn warriors, and capable of making
extensive conquests, like the ancient SM^as of Kumaon or
“ Kurmmavan.”

All these facts appear to me to afford very strong and con-
vincmg reasons for believing that the Sakas and Khasas and the
“ Sakyas" and Khasiyas were all originally derived from tlie
same stock.

Add to this the fact that another people, who (where
they are a hill tribe) are the close neighbours of the Khasas
and Magars, namely, the Tharus,” claim to have been the

Life in Ancient India,” Mrs. Speir, p. 212. Wilson’s " Ariana,” p. 211,
Journ. As. Soc.', Beng., August 1833. Origin of the Sakya Race, Csomade Koros;

CENTRAL DOAB AND GORAKPUR IN 1874-75 & * 875*76. 133

founders of Bhuila, which I have identified as the site of Kapi-
lavastu. These ThArus are also popularly said to have been
the founders of several other ancient sites both in the
districts of Basti and Gonda. The ThArus themselves say
that Bhuila was their ancient capital. In fact, the ThArus
are the ancient people to whom the founding of nearly all
the ancient sites in this part of the country is popularly
attributed by the native peasantry. As I have said, the hill
ThArus are the close neighbours of the Khasas or IChasiyas,
and of the Magars, and I have reason to believe that the
ThArus are of the same race, or derived from the same stock,
as the Khasas and Magars. But if the ThArus were the
founders of Bhuila, and if Bhuila is the actual site of
Kapilavastti^ then it follows that the Thdriis must be
descendants of the SAkyas.

Surely there must be some hitherto hidden but important
truth lurking at the bottom of all these startling facts And
one cannot possibly avoid the conclusions that are forced upon
him by such facts as these.

The Thdrus would appear to be a tribe with whom some
interesting but vague floating traditions are connected, and
whose real origin and history have not as yet ever been
clearly ascertained with any certainty ; for though the
Tharus are now generally looked upon as a sort of hill tribe,
yet it is very certain, both from their own traditions and also
frorn'certain traditions still current about them among the
natives of this part of the country, that the Thdrus were
once the possessors of some considerable portion of the plains,
WiVi ‘ffi •avrfi ‘iVi A'r/i: 'cA

which originally formed portions of the region anciently called
“ Kosala.'* And yet, as far as I know, no information about
any people bearing the name of Thdrii would appear to be
obtainable from any of the Buddhist chronicles 1 If, then,
‘the Thdrus were really an ancient people within the limit's
of the kingdom of which KapHavastu was the capital, either
history must be unaccountably silent about them, or else the
people who are now known under the name of " Thdrus "
must anciently have been known under some other totally
different name. Perhaps, as I suspect, and as I have already
suggested, the Thdrus may have been a branch of the same
race as the Khasas or Khas;pas^ and the Magas, “ Mags,” or
Magars, who are now also a hill tribe on the western confines of
Nepdl It is at least worthy of remark that, according to one
popular tradition, a people called Magas" are said to have

report of tours in the

J34

given their name to Magadha, the ancient name of South Bihar.
It is therefore especially a curious coincidence, to say theleas^t
of it, that two tribes, called respectively “ Magars ” and “ Thd-
rusi' are now actually found as neighbours in the same region
on the confines of Nep 4 l.

The people of Magadha were, however, also called “ Pard-
siyas'' or Prasii,” and although it may be a matter of
comparatively little importance to the present question
whether that name be interpreted as a corruption of the
Sanskrit" Pr^chya,” as referring to an "eastern” position,
or be derived from " Parasa,” the Sanskrit name of the Dhdk
tree, yet I may here bring this one more circumstance to
notice, namely, that there is the site of an ancient town a
short distance to the east of Blmila which is called “ Prds
DihS the foundation of which is by some attributed to the Thd-
rus and by others to an unknown people who are conjectured
to have given their name to the place.

But it is perhaps even a more curious coincidence that the
'' Magas'’' Qtx Mags^' find a place in this district as
well as the Thdrus ; for, in the northern part of Pergunnah
Amor ha {Zillah Basti), a short distance to the south of
" Khem-rdj-pur,” and about 13 miles to the west from
Bhuilay there are two villages called " Miighganwan," which
I believe to be only a mis-spelling of " Mag-ganw” or " Mag-
gaononP meaning " the two villages of the Mags” Now, as I
have identified the ancient site, or Khera mound, near " Khem-
raj-pur” with the ancient city of " Kshemavati,” rvhich was the
capital of some small kingdom or district called ” -Mekhala”
(as related in the Buddhist books of Ceylon), I believe that,
in the names of these two villages called ” M ugh ganw an”
or " Maggaonon,” the memory of the ancient traditional name ot
Mekhala'" is actually preserved; and that Mekhala” may
therefore be simply a Ceylonese corruption of the Sanskrit
" Mag-alaya,” meaning " the habitation or abode of the
Mags ” and that therefore the " Mags” must have been the
ancient inhabitants of Mekhala. If, therefore, the Thdriis
could be in any way identified as having originally h^^n a
branch of the " Mags ” or " Magars ” considered as the ancient
people of Mekhala, or Mag-alaya, or Magara, it would then be
very easy to understand how very likely they might have been
the actual founders of many ancient places in the districts
of Basti and Gonda. And as the " Magars ” or Mags” are
also at the present time known as a hill tribe who are said to
inhabit the western confines of NepM, it is possible that they

CENTRAL DOAB AND GORAKPUR IN iS 74-75 ^ 1875-76. 155

might be in some way remotely connected by descent with the
ancient “ Sdkas ** of Kumaon, and that they might thus, in con.
junction with the Thdriis^ just possibly somehow have given
rise to the name of the “ Sdkyas " of Kapilavastii^ as R&ja
Ksliema's kingdom of '' Mekhala or Mag-alaya lay close
on the west of the kingdom of Knpilavastu^

At all events, in this case, if any of the above conjectures
should eventually be found to hold water, or to turn out either
to have any foundation on ascertained facts, or to receive
support from any facts that may hereafter be brought to light,
then the traditions about the Thdrus, referred to even by the
R^Ljpdt villagers about Nngar Khds, and many times recounted
to me by the Rdjpfits in the neighbourhood of Bhitila, may
after all turn out to have much truth in them.

At present, however, I would wish it to be clearly under-
stood that I venture to offer these remarks with diffidence
as mere suggestions ; whatever may be thought of them
othenvise, may perhaps at least tend to excite some enquiry
and eventually serve to elicit some truths, or some new facts,
which may hitherto possibly have remained in the back-
ground merely for want of systematic investigation on the
spot.

Since writing the preceding remarks, I have, through the
obliging courtesy of the Secretary to the Government of the
North-Western Provinces, been favoured with a copy of an in-
teresting report on the Thdrtts and Bhuhsas of the Tarai by Mr.
E. Colvin, and I may state that there are certain particulars
noted in this report which tend, if anything, to confirm my
views regarding the Thants.

Mr. Colvin's report contains so much information on the
subject under consideration, that I cannot well curtail it, or
make a mere abstract of it here, and I will therefore now give
the substance of the report in full, merely taking tlie liberty
of supplying a few words accidentally omitted, and correcting
a few clerical errors of the copyist. Mr. Colvin says : —

“ There are only two castes in the Tarai which call for remark ; the
others have moved in from neighbouring districts at various periods;

* * * * ^ * * as for instance

PiUibhit.

* In connection with the Saka race, I would wish to cal! attention to the
fact that there is a Turanian, or Turkish tribe on the banks of the river Lena

in North-Eastern Asia who are called Yakuts, but who call themselves “Sakha.’’
The original seats of these Yakuts, or Sakhas, would appear to have been on the
north-west of Lake Baikal, Thtir language is closely allied to the Turkish. (See
Max Muller’s " Lectures on the Science of Language,” First Senes, p. 317)

136

REPORT OF TOURS IN THE

The two castes or tribes called Bhooksas and Tharoos are un-
able to afford any information regarding the period or the reason of
their settling in the Tarai, beyond that the former state that they came
from Dharanagara, and the latter from Chittaur.

“ Sir H. Elliottj under the head Bhooksas, states that the Bhooksas
claim to be Powar R&^jpoots, and asserts that their [ancestor]’ Udaya
Jeet was driven from house and home in a quarrel he had with his
brother Jagat Deo, the RS.ja of Dhciranagar, and came to dwell v/ith a
few dependents in Bunbusa, a village in the Oudh territory. He then
proceeds to state that they successfully aided the Raja of Kumaun,
and settled chiefly along the line of springs which rise at the foot of
the BhS-bur.- In a note in page 71 he expresses his opinion that there
may possibly have been some connection between the Powars and
Bhooksas.

“ Bhooksas still claim to be addressed as Thakoors, and a few
wear the thread or janaoee. Sir H. Elliot, in page 258, under the article
“ Des ” alludes, among others, to a district entered in the ancient regis-
ters in Sirkar Kumaun [as] Bhooksas, now Kilpooree, and Rooderpoor.
Bhooksas is the n ame still used for localities inhabited by Bhooksas,
without reference to any particular boundaries, as Tharroah signifies
tracts inhabited by ThS,roos.

“The Thdroo traditions state that they came from Chittaur, and
refer to Jaimul and Patta : they state that they were driven from their
homes and settled here. The reference would appear to indicate the
‘third sack of Chittaur, about 1560 A. D. They claim to have been
originally Rajpoots, and state that their ancestors lost their caste by
taking to intoxicating liquors and eating fowls. I have never heard from
them any allusion to a Goorkha or hill origin, an idea which the type of
feature itself suggests. The Tharoos and the Bhooksas are sub-divided
into Gotes, and interspersed with them are other tribes, who are gener-
ally called Tharoos, but who are quite distinct, such as the Goharwar,
who claim to be Rajpoots, and are some probably of the Goharwars
whom Sir H. Elliot describes in page 437 as a most interesting race,
over whose origin much obscurity hangs. These men never intermarry
with the Tharoos, abstain from liquor, and never rear fowls ; others,
again, are Dangurs, and looked down upon as a lower caste by the
Th&roos.

“ Sir H. Elliot says, referring to Bhooksas, that those -who reside
in Kilpuri and Subna are sent occasionally to intermarry with the
Th&roos, and states them to be a tribe found inhabiting the forest
under the hills from Pooranpore Subna on the Sardah to Chandpore
on the Ganges. At present no village of Bhooksas is situated east
of the Kitcha or Gola river, which is about 30 miles west of the
Sardah river, and which is the existing boundary between the two
tribes. ^ The Bhooksas range from its west bank to the Ganges, and
the Tharoos to the east, as far, I believe, as Gorakhpur. I have never
heard of the two tribes intermarrying; indeed, the Bhooksas marry
on attaining puberty, while the Tharoos are married as young as their

’ Word left out in original.

CENTRAL DOAB AND GORAKPUR IN 187475 & i 87 s 7 <S 13?

means will permit Cases occur of men of one tribe eloping with
the women of the other, and a small ^ illage exists chiefly inhabited by
the progeny of such left-lnnded marrnges It is situated exactly
between where Bhoohsa \illages end and the Thdroo villages com
mence

“Either tribe claims supenonty of caste, and repudiates any
attempt at tracing them to a common origin, or any connection be-
tween them Nor is there, m my opinion, an} evidence on which such
an attempt could be based Hieir claims to respective supenonty,
however, rest on verj small grounds, the Bhooksas charging the
ThAroos with rearing fowls, which they do, while the Thdroossay the
Bhooksas sell flesh and fish, which they deny indignantly

“It IS a circumstance worth remarking that two tribes under such
similar circumstances should have kept so distinct while being in
such close proximity They are both superstitious^ and, as a rule,
truthful, much given to intoxicating drinks, and not ver} chaste
Both more or less migrate, only continuing to cultivate land till it is
exhausted^ and then moving off to fresh grounds Both are utterly
reckless with water, with which they inundate their fields, if allowed
to, and utterly careless of the swamps they ma} be forming indeed,
most of the worst swamps can be easily proved to ow e their origin
to the rude irrigating means used Both tribes are supposed to be
adepts in magical arts A few Bhooksas, in conversation with me,
have claimed such powers for persons of their caste but generally
they laugh at the idea, though they attribute their comparative immu-
nity from marauders during the disturbances caused by the mutiny to
the general belief m their superhuman pow ers, which the DeseeSy
or plains people, entertained at the same time They have the great-
est conhdence in the Bararor, or medicine men, who are consulted,
on every occasion, and who mulct them heavily for their services

“As a general rule, the Tharoo is more intelligent than the
Bhooksa He thoroughly recognizes the advantage of education, and
only objects on the score of losing the labour of his lands, while the
Bhooksa witt not send fus sons to school , at afl events, f have never
succeeded m persuading them to do so

“Neither of these tribes attempt to offer any suggestion regarding
the origin of their names A Thdroo, it is true, will say that he came
to live in the Tarai, and became Thdroos , but if the commonly accepted
derivation of Tarai, t e t Ttvtrhttny to be wet or damp, is the true
one, the initial 1h of the word Thdroo is unaccounted for The
word ‘Tarroo,' however, by which they are commonly known, has no
sound of the k But if they derived their denomination from the
locality, the name must have been given to others, for among them
the word Tarai applies to the low-lying land which is situated be
tween the springs of the Chooka (which rises below the high bank
boundary of the forest which intersects pargana Bilhen) and the river
Sdrdah The spring lev el is here close to the surface, and the tract
appears, in years gone by, to have been an island attached to the
east bank of the Sdrdah river The soil is wet and damp in the
extreme, and is termed Tarai in opposition to the comparatively
higher land w hich constitutes the tract know n by others as the Tarai

REPORT OF TOURS IN THE

'I38

The Bhooksas have no suggestion to offer on the origin of their name.
They may have been called Bhooksas from settling in Bhooksar, i.e.,
Kilpooree and Rooderpore: I gather from Sir H. Elliot that Udaya
Jeet, whose descendants they are said to be, was the Raja of Dhar
in the first half of the ilth century, but I have no means of knowing
the date of the ancient register referred to in para. 5.

‘^It is uncommon to find a Bhooksa village with the same name
as a Tharoo village. If the Bhooksas had retired gradually before
the Th^roos from the S^rdah to the Golah, names still common among
them might be expected in the three parganas inhabited by ThA,roos
east of the Golah, alias Kitcha, river; but I do not know of any
instance, except such common names as Birriiia or Naholi, which
offer no clue; and when Bhooksas are found living in villages called
Khanpur, Husainpur, Fattehgunj, and Deemurphera, any attempt at
tracing them through their village names is hopeless.

“Neither of these tribes have any acknowledged leaders through
whom, or through whose titles, a clue might be obtained. The office
of borwaiet, or kurhait^ of the Th&roos being hereditary, continues in
certain families, but they now exercise no functions. It appears to
have been given to certain Thdroo headmen by the Kumaun Rajas,
for the reason assigned by Sir H. Elliot, in page 141 of his Supple-
mentary Glossary. The Bhooksas in the Tarai still recognise the
authority of a man who is, I believe, a resident of a village in Kashi-
pore; but this authority appears also to have been conferred by
Kumaun Rajas, and is chiefly exercised in settling private disputes
relating to family matters, and is generally exercised by administer-
ing a whipping with a cloth.

“Tharoos in this district declare themselves distinct from those
who live to the east of the Kauriala river in Oudh, whom they declare
to be of very inferior caste — a compliment invariably returned by the
few Tharoos I have met from that locality. These do not intermarry.

“Neither of these tribes claim for their ancestors the credit of
excavating the tanks, or erecting the buildings, or sinking the masonry
wells, ruins of which still exist in the Tarai, nor do they connect
them in any way with their own history. To this day, neither the
Tharoos nor Bhooksas build even earthen walls for their houses,
which are made of posts driven into the ground with beams resting on
them. The walls are made, of reeds, locally termed tant, tied with
grass, and generally smeared over with mud and cow-dung, with a
thatched roof. The ThS.roos keep their residences scrupulously clean.
For wells, which they only use for drinking purposes, and never for
irrigation, a hollowed tree is sunk in the ground. They employ hill
or plains men as lohai's, 8 lc., which all tends to prove that they
never possessed a knowledge sufficient to admit of their erecting the
places and wells referred to above.

“Generally, all that can be considered as tolerably certain is that
the Bhooksas came about the iith century from Dharanagar, and
the Tharoos in the i6th from Chittaur into the Tarai, where they
sought a refuge, and Avhich tract was never practically under Muham-
madan rule, and was indeed looked upon as wild and dreadful by the
troops of that power till the times of the Rohilla Pathans ; that these

CENTRAL DOAB AND GORAKPUR IN 1874.75 k i 875 * 76 - 139

tribes assisted the Kumaun Rajas, by whom they were protected, and
from whom they received sunnuds, &C4 that they were ever, as
now, distinct j and riiat they were probably different branches of
Riljpoots/^ *

Now, from the above report we ascertain the important
fact that, like the Gorkhas, the Plants claim to be descended
from the Sisodias, or Guhilas, of Mewar, which is a very
remarkable coincidence, to say the least of it j but, as in the
case of the Gorkhas, I consider that this tradition of the
fThanis must in reality refer merely to some ancient connection
with, or descent from, the same branch of the so-called ''Solar
race'" of Kshatriyas as that from which the Sisodias or
Guhilas were descended, and which wf as it refers to this part
of the country) can be no other than the branch from which
the Sakyas were descended, for it is out of the range of all
possibility to suppose that if the Thdrus had come to settle
in the Tarai at so very late a period as the time of Jaimal
and Patta, after the last sack of Chitor by Akbar, that they
could so suddenly have assumed the features and complexions
and general physiognomy of bill men which characterise
the ThArus. If, therefore, the Thdrus were really originally
a tribe of Kshatriyas of the Solar race (or Sakyas ?), they
must have settled in the Tarai and in the lower ranges or
spurs of the Himalayas at a very ancient period, and must
have intermarried with hill women. But if the Thdrus were
of the same race as the Sakyas, whom I have previously shown
reason to believe to have been descended from the same
stock as the Sakas of Kumaon and the Khasas, then this
would account for the features and complexion of the Tharus
as having been simply their original natural characteris-
tics, and on no other ground?, and by no other means,
can we possibly in any way account for the remarkable fact
that the Gorkhas (who were originally Magars') and the
Thdrus both claim to be descended from the^same Solar race
of Kshatriyas^ as the Sisodias or Guhilas ; and yet that they
are both characterised by the features and complexions, and
other general peculiarities, of hill men !

Of course, these views and opinions of mine are totally
antagonistic to all the popular preconceived theories on these
subjects, and totally subversive of all the traditions of the

* I believe that the Tarus received their fiame from the tract of country which
they inhabit. TarydUi means simply the "wet country," and is an accurate de-
scription of the low-b mg tract at the foot of the Himalaya Mountains. The
people who live In the Tarydm, or Tarai , are therefore properly named Tdrus.

A. Cunningham.

140 REPORT OF TOURS IN THE

Brahmans, or rather of the fabulous tales and; genealogies ;
which the Brahmans have concocted in . order to account for
the origin of certain tribes oi so-cslXed Kshatriyas
in ancient times, - either, forced themselves into the Hindu
pale, by conquest and intimidation, or were admitted within -
the Hindu pale by the designing Brahmanical hierarchy of-
olden times, for their own ends and purposes. But these
ideas are nothing new to me, and I have long held them ;
and nothing could now persuade me to the contrary : or
that the Brahmans were right in their accounts, while I was
all wrong in the conclusions which I have drawn from
numerous undoubted facts, — only a very few of which, however, .
have been cursorily touched upon, or little more than hinted
at, in this report. The full exposition of my opinions and
arguments on the subject of Indian Ethnology, and on many .r
matters connected with the history, ramifications, characteris-
tics, and existing representatives of the Aryan race in
general, will be reserved for a treatise specially devoted' to
that purpose, which I hope to be able to publish.

I am in the firm belief that a new era will yet dawn on the
sciences of ethnology and philology. 1

But I must return again, for a few moments, to complete '
my remarks on the subject of the Tharus. From all that I , /
can learn from people who have seen both the Eastern and ; :
Western Tharus, it would seem that there is very little, if any,. .
difference in their general appearance between these two
branches of the Tharu race, and that they appear virtually ■
to be one and the same people, only that perhaps the
Eastern Tharus are not so cleanly in their habits as the
Western Tharus. Yet it would appear from Mr. Colvin’s
account that the Western Tharus fancy themselves to be
superior to the eastern branch of that race, and pretend, to
hold themselves somewhat aloof from them; but I suspect
that this sort of assumed squeamishness is of much the same
sort as that of the pot which called the kettle black ! It would
also appear from Mr. Colvin^s report that the Western
Thtlrus do not lay claim to have constructed any of the .old
wells of masonry in the Tarai, nor to have founded any of .
the old buildings of which ruins remain. But I can .con-
fidently assert that the Eastern Tharus do lay claim to have. . U
been the founders of a number of ancient sites.in the districts
of Basti, Gonda, and Gorakpur ; • and not only ,so, but also
that the Hindu inhabitants of these districts attribute the
founding of a number of ancient -places to the Tharus ; and

CENTRAL DOAB AND GORAICPUR IN 1874-75 & 1875-76.

among these is Bhuila, which I have identified as the site
of Kapilavastu. I am therefore inclined to consider the
Western Thilrus to be a remnant of those of the old Sdkas of
Kumaon who had settled on the plains ; while I consider
the Eastern Thfirus to be a remnant of the S^kyas who, as
I have previously shown, were originally Sun-worshippers, and
thereafter became Buddhists ; and that consequently, when
Biiddhism was extirpated from India, they were outcasted
by- the victorious Brahman hierarchy ; and that this is the
true cause of the present degradation of the Tharus.

The whole argument may be logically summed up in a
few words, as follows. The Tharus say that they are de-
scended from the very same branch of the Solar race as
that froni which the Sisodias, or Guhilas, and the Sakyas
are known to have been descended ; and consequently it
would follow that the Tharus must be of the same race as the
^akyas. Again, the Thdrus say that they were the original
founders of Bhuila, which I have identified as the actual
site of Kapilavastu j and consequently it would follow that the
Tharus must have been the founders of Kapilavastu. But we
know that Kapilavastu was founded by the Sikyas. Conse-
quently it follows that the Tharus must be the descendants of
the S5,kyas of Kapilavastu ! Qtiod erat demonsiranduvt.

General Cunningham has noticed the fact that the
Burmese Pali books place Kapilavastu in a part of India
called the Thekka, or Sekka^ country; and it has been
suggested by General Cunningham that this name might
possibly refer to the Sakya country.^

I do not feel myself competent to offer any decided
opinion as to the origin of this Burmese name of Thekka for
the country of Kapilavastu. I may, however, mention that
about 9 miles to the west-north-west from Bhuila, there is
a place called Natpur Tikaiit ; and again, about 6 miles to
the south-south-east from Bhuila, there is a place called Ekta-
kwa. HmAi, ihak, ov thakkd, means "a clot” “a

clod,” “a lump,” or “that which is thick or coagulated or con-
glomerated and it is remarkable that such a term would be
particularly applicable to the heavy stiff soil about Bhuila.
Again, in Hindi, chik^ or chtkar, means “ mud,” or “ slime,” or
“land that has been recently irrigated;” and chikti means
‘‘ sticky, clayey soil while chikd^vat means “ black, clayey

* I suggested this identification because the th of the Burmese is the s of
. Sanskrit, as m Tfiaj'et-myo for Sant-myo. The Burmese fh is like fh m think.

A. Cunningham.

REPORT OR TOURS IN THE

142

soil.” All of these terms would be exactly descriptive of the
nature of the soil in the neighbourhood of Bhuila, which
I have identified with Kapilavastu.

The Thekka of the Burmese may perhaps be the Hindi
word tlieh^ “ a support,” “ a prop,” or Ihckt, “ the act of
resting a burden on the way.”

With regard to the place called Ek/akwa, in Hindi /ak
means “ a look,” or ” a stare,” and takiul means ” a spindle,”
which latter word, as the name of a place, might perhaps
refer to some kind of stfipa with a sharp-pointed top.

I would, however, beg to suggest that the Thekka of the
Burmese chronicles may possibly refer to a country inhabited
by the Takkas, ^Ybo are a well-known tribe in the Punjab,
and who are supposed to have been originally a liill people,
from the north, or of Turanian descent, although I believe their
name to have been really derived from the Sanskrit verbal
root tak^ “ to bring forth,” and that therefore takka ma)' be
synonymous with the Greek Tccrcoow, ” offspring.” I think it is
very probable that this Takka race may originally, in ancient
times, have extended much further east, and that they may
perhaps primarily have been a branch of the same people as
the Thflrus, and the Maghs or Maghars. Now, the kingdom
of the Takkas is called Tsc-kia by the Chinese traveller
Huen Thsang ; and I think that this may possibly be synony-
mous with the Thekka of the Burmese chronicles ; and if so,
it would prove that the kingdom of Kapilavastu, or country
of the S4kyas, was really inhabited by the Takka race ; and
that therefore the Takkas are the same people as the
Thfbrus, who claim to have founded Bhuila, which I have
identified with Kapilavastu. This is further proved by the
fact that the ancient capital city of the Takka country was
called isdkala / and therefore the Stlkalas were the same as
the Takkas. Now, we know that the Silkyas were at one
time settled at a place to the south of the Punjhb, called
Potala ; and I therefore believe the Sfikyas to be the same
as the Sakalas, and consequently the same as the Takkas.
I take both Sakya and Sakala to be simply diminutive forms
of S^ka, denoting that they were both descendants or off-
shoots from the great S^ka race of Kurmmavan.

BHUILA— DIH.

The principal mound of ruins at Bhuila Tal is situated
on the western bank of the lake, rather near its head, or

CENTRAL DOAIJ AND GORAKrUR IN 1874.75 k 1875-76. 1 43

nortb-weslem end ; from ufjicb pomt the lake extends in a
soutiveastcrly direction, and then turns round at an angle
towards the cast-norlh-casi.’ At the most easterly point of
the lake, a small watercourse runs out of it, called the
DochCtAo NAla, w hich is perfectly dry during the hot weather.
The village of Ama is situated on the eastern bank of the
lake, in the angle made by its ciine, and opposite to the
broadest and most central portion of the lake. The village
of Dabha is situated on the southern bank of llie lake ; and
about half a mile to the south-soiilh-west from that, there arc
the villages of BAwarpAra and Bhaukari, and Parsa, at all of
which there are mounds of ruins ; and at the latter a curious
earthen stOpa. About 800 feet from the western bank of the
lake there is the old village of JailnpOr; and between the
village and the lake there arc the remains of a large brick
stupa, which may perhaps mark the spot where Buddha
competed in archer)* with the Sakyas. This stQpa was in a
comparatively perfect condition, and of a considerable height,
and was a conspicuous object of view when I first came to
BhuUa; but it has since been nearly destroyed, and the bricks
taken away, by the mischievous villagers,* I obtained three
fragments of the stone umbrellas, and also the stone cap,
which originally belonged to this stbpa. About 350 feet to
the north-north-w’cst from the village of Jaiiapur, there is a
deep, somewhat circular-shaped tank, about 120 feet in
breadth across, called the IlAthi Kund, or IlAthi Gadhe,
which probably represents the I/asit Gartta of the Buddliist
traditions, where an elephant is supposed to have fallen,
w'h’icli Buddha *is sa'id to nave thrown across the ditch ol the
city. It is said to have been a dead elephant, wliich had
obstructed the w'ay opposite the soutliern gate, and which
had been killed Devadatta. About 300 feet to the north
from the HAthi Gadhe or IlAthi Kund, there is a sort of ditcli
' or channel, which in some parts, low*ards the eastern end, is
both deep and broad, but becomes narrow' and shallow to-
wards its western end. This ditch runs, from a small marshy
lake called the NAka T.M, eastw'ards, until it joins the great
Lake of Bhuila ; the distance between the two at this point
being about 1,000 feet. On the southern side of tlic ditch
there is a conical mound of earth, which looks like the

> See phtes vni, IX, .nnd X for tlic position of Uhuili TAI, .incl of .nil (>ic
other ancient sues referred to m the tc^l.

• When 1 firil came lo Rhuila, this st6pa 70 feet in diamilcr and 18
feel in height

144

REPORT OF TOURS IN THE

remains of an earthen stupa.‘ Immediately on the northern
side of the ditch there are two mounds close together, and
united by a somewhat low and narrow ridge. To the north
of the last, and half-way between the ditch and the great
mound of ruins called the Bhuila dih, there are two inter-
mediate, broad, flat mounds of ruins, which are probably the
sites of ancient Viharas, which are referred to by the Chinese
traveller, Huen Thsang.

The great Dih^ or great mound of ruins, which was pro-
bably the site of the citadel and palaces, is situated about 650
feet to the north from the ditch, before mentioned. This
mound measures about 1,090 feet across from north to south,
by about 1,020 feet across from east to west. Following the
irregularity of its outline, its circuit or circumference is about
3,600 feet, which is equal to upwards of four Chinese li, if
the li be estimated as equal to about one-sixth of an Eng-
lish mile ; but it would be equal to only about 3]^ Chinese
li (or about 3-|- /?'), if the lihe. estimated as equal to about
one-fifth of an English mile. Now, the Chinese traveller,
Huen Thsang, describes the remains of the palace at Kapila-
vastu as being high and solid, and about 14 or /y li in cir-
cuit ; while it will be seen that the result of my own
measurement of the circuit of the great mound of [ruins at
Bhuila gives a mean of only about 4 li ! I can only sup-
pose, therefore, that, as in the case of many other state-
ments of dimensions given by the Chinese travellers, there
has been an exaggeration as to the extent of the site of the
palace at Kapilavastu.

What Huen Thsang calls the remains of a palace appears
to me to be the remains of a fortified citadel, which contained
numerous buildings of various kinds, and adapted to various
purposes, — some, probably, palatial buildings, — some, appa-
rently, the remains of small detached buildings, — others,
the sites of temples, and also the ruined remains of two or
three low stupa mounds, or round-topped mounds of brick
having the general contour or outline of low stupas. Two
faintly perceptible, or nearly effaced, and broken lines, one
lower than and outside the other, run round the outer face
or edge of the great plateau of ruins, showing the site of
ancient inner and outer lines of fortification. There are
eight depressions at the sides, showing the positions of former

' I have since been positively informed by the people here that this mound
was formerly really a very high stupa, but that it has gradually been demolished,
3’ear by year, by the petty zemindar on whose share of land it stands. ^

CENTRAL DOAtJ AND GORAKPUR IN 1874.75 k 1875.76 145

gateways. There is one depression on the northern side,
another at the north-western corner, another on the western
side, another at the south-western comer, two on the southern
side, and two on the eastern side. There is a mound on
the low ground, facing the northern ^alc ; a second mound
outside the north-wcslcm gate; a third, small, long-shaped
mound, on the low ground facing the south-western gate;
and a broad, fiat-topped mound of bricks, facing the southern
gate. Ndw, Huen Thsang states that, outside each of
the four gates, there was a vthdra, or temple, each of which
contained a statue of one of the Four Predictive Signs
which SAkya Muni encountered before he set out on his
pilgrimage in order to obtain Buddhahood, The first of
these contained the statue of an old vian ; the second con-
tained the statue of a sick man; the third contained the
statue of a corpse ; and the fourth contained the statue of
a monk. I therefore believe that the four mounds which lie
outside, and opposite to four of the supposed gates of the
great mined site at Bhuila, represent the ruins of the four
vihitras, which contained the four statues of the Four Pre-
dictive Signs, as described by tlie Chinese traveller. I ex-
cavated the mound opposite to the northern gate, and
found that it contained the remains of a building, which may
have been a temple, and also an ancient well. And during
the course of excavation several ancient coins were found
in this mound, one of which was a large copper coin of the
Indo-Scythic king, JVemo Kadphises ; and another was an
ancient square copper coin, in beautiful preservation, and
bearing a great number and variety of Buddhhist symbols ;
while a third coin bore the name of a Hindu king called
Purushadata. I also obtained a punch-marked coin here.

About 700 feet to the north from the great Dih of Bhuila
there is an earthen mound about 210 feet in length by about
100 feet in breadth; beyond it there is a large square
tank ; and on the northern and eastern sides of the tank, the
ground is somewhat high, and is strewed with fragments of
brick and pottery. Immediately beyond this, on the north-
eastern side, the ground is low, and was evidently once the
bed of a former extension of the head of the lake, by which
it communicated with other smaller lakes to the north.

About 800 feet to the west-sou th-west from the great Dih
of Bhuila, there is a very large, shallow, marshy lake, called
Aghea T&l, which, however, becomes nearly dry during the
very hot weather, with the exception of a few pools of water
VOL. XU K

146 ■ REPORT OF TOURS IN THE

which remain here and there. This lake is upwards of 3,000
feet in length, from north to south, by from 1,400 to 1,000
feet in breadth. Towards the north-west its extent is not
easily defined, as it becomes connected with other similar
shallow lakes in that direction, which form the sources of the
Rawai River, which really rises from some lakes about 6 l miles
to the north-west from Bhuila Ted. In fact, theAghbaTM,
which lies close upon the west side of Bhuila, is simply a por-
tion of an ancient bed of the Rawai River, which originally ran
into Bhuila Tal, and then issued forth again by the DochMn
Nala, which falls into the Kuano River ; while a branch of
the latter joins the Majhora River, to the south-east, near
Hardi. The Aghea T 5.1 fines off, at its south-eastern end,
into some very low rice-grounds, which become flooded
during the rains, and which take a turn round to the north
until they meet the small Naka T^l, which lies close to the
southern side of the great DtJi of 13 huila ; and, as I before
stated, a ditch runs from the small Nilka TA .1 to the great
lake of Bhuila. And thus, during the height of the rains,
when the Agh6a Tell becomes full of water, its surplus waters
empty themselves, through the Ncdca Tdl, into tlie great lake
of Bhuila. The Agh^a Tal is named after the village of
Aghea, which is situated on some high ground on the
western bank of the lake ; and 1,200 feet to the south from
the village of Aghfea there is a mound of ruins, of an
irregular, quadrilateral shape, which measured 165 feet on
the north-east side, 130 feet on the south-east side, 155 feet
on the north-west side, and 100 feet on the south-west side.
From the north-eastern corner of the Aghea Tal, a faintly
definable depression of ground, which was originally a ditch,
runs jn a north-north-easterly direction until it meets a tank ;
and it extends_ again beyond the tank in a north-easterly
direction, until it meets the lake of Bhuila, about 500 feet to
the north of the great Dili, or ruined site of the citadel.
This line of depression was originally the northern ditch of
the citadel, but it is now so cut up into rice-fields that it
has become nearly effaced, and is only very faintly distin-
guishable. The great citadel of Bhuila, or Kapilavastu, must
thus originally have been cut off by water on all sides, namely,
by a ditch on the north and north-west, by the Agh^a T4l on
the west and south-west, by the Naka Tal on the south-south-
west, by a ditch on the south, and by the great lake of Bhuila
on the east. The, total area, however, which is included
within this ancient -water-lined boundary, is much greater

CENTRAL DOAB AND GORAKPUR IN 1874.75 & 1875*76. 147

than that of the mere elevated site of the citadel, because
this area extends beyond the site of the citadel for 500
feet to the ditch on the north, for 300 feet to the ditch
and tank on the north-west, for about 280 feet to a por-
tion of the ditch on the west, for i ,350 feet to the Agh^a
TM on the south-west, for 70 feet to the N^ka TM on
the southland south-south-west, for about 560 feet to the
ditch on the south and south-south-east, and for about
100 feet to the edge of the great lake of Bhuila on the
east This would give a total area with a circuit of about
from 9,000 to 10,000 feet, which would be equal to from
about 8| to about 9^ Chinese H. But even this would
be from 5 to 6^ li less than the estimate given by Huen
Thsang, of 14 or 15 liy for the circuit of the palace at
Kapilavastu. Now, between 14 and 15 h would be roughly
equal to about 3 English miles, while the great fort of
Agra is only about a mile and one-third in circuit, including
the outer ditch ! It is evident, therefore, that the estimate of
the circuit of the palace at Kapilavastu, given in the travels
of Huen Thsang, must be a gross exaggeration • and that
the original estimate must more probably have been or 5 //’,
which the Chinese copyists altered to 14 or 75 li, because they
did not think that a circumference o\ 4 or $ li was sufficiently
grand for the palace of the royal father of such a great
personage as Buddha ! If we take the Chinese li to be
equal to one-fifth of a mile, then the fort of Agra is about 6^
li in circumference ; while the great Dihy or ruined site of the
citadalat Bhuila, is about 3,600 feet, or about 3^^ 4 ', or nearly
3^ in circumference, so that it is only about half the size of
the entire circumference of the fort of Agra, including its outer
ditch along with it ; but if we exclude the outer ditch,
beyond the walls, from the estimate of the circumference of
the fort of Agra, then the great ruined site of the citadel at
Bhuila will be equal to about two-thirds of the extent of the
actual fort of Agra, — which, I think, is surely an even more
than sufficiently ample space to have included all the palatial
buildings of the old SAkya Rajas of Kapilavastu

On the north-eastern side of the lake, and exactly
opposite the great Dih of Bhuila, there is a small knob-shaped
mound 6f bricks and earth, which is evidently the remains of
a former stupa, which must have been the most prominent
and conspicuous object in this locality, as it could be seen
from all points. This mound of bricks has since been
hearly totally demolished by the zamindars, and this act of

REPORT OF TOURS IN THE

148

destruction was performed by them while I was at Bhuila.
For some distance around this, especially on the south-east
and east, and partly also towards the north, the ground
is high, and is strewed with fragments of brick and pot-
tery. This is the highest tract of ground, of such an extent,
an)^where about the lake (with the exception, of course,
of the great Dih) 5 and from the numerous fragments of
brick and pottery which are constantly turned up by the
plough, it is evident that this must have been the site of a
portion of the ancient city, which stood on the other or
eastern side of the lake, opposite to the “ palace ” Dih, or
Raja’s citadel. The very highest portion of this ground on
the eastern side of the lake is about 1,200 feet in extent from
north to south, by about 900 feet from east to west. But
this is only the most distinctly marked portion of the high
ground, for traces of bricks and pottery are found in the soil
all the way to the village of Ama, a distance from the
stupa mound of 1,800 feet to the south-east; also fora still
greater distance towards the east ; and for a distance, from
the stijpa mound, of about 900 feet towards the north. This
eastern portion of the city w'as in fact bounded by a small
lake called the Sararya Tdl on the north, and by the great
lake of Bhuila on the south and west ; while towards the
east its original bounds are difficult to define, but fragments
of brick and pottery may be found here and there in the
fields all the way eastwards to Pr6.s Dih, a distance of a
mile and one-third ; and besides the great mound of ruins on
which the village of Pras Dih is situated, there are three
other smaller mounds of ruins, named respectively Rdnipur
Dih^ Pokrah, and also traces of bricks near B4gh Dih. I
have, however, calculated that this eastern portion of the
actual city, in^ a _ restricted sense, in this quarter, must
have had a circuit of upwards of 10,000 feet. But, as
I shall presently be able to show, this only formed a
comparatively srnall detached eastern portion of the total
extent of the ancient city ; for I have reason to believe that
the ancient city, with its attached suburbs, must have had a
total extent of about 2 miles and one-third from north to
south, or from the mounds of B4warp3.ra and Pars3. on the
south, to the mounds of Atroha on the north, with an
uneven and somewhat broken and not easily definable breadth
from east to west, — the greatest breadth of the city on the
western side of the lake having probably been about i ,600
feet, while the breadth of the eastern portion of the city on

CENTRAL DOAB AND CORAKPUR IN 1874-75 3 ^' 1875-7^^. 1 49

the eastern side of the lahc cannot have been much less than
2,000 feet. This would give a total breadth of the city, from
east to west, of about 3,600 feet, or about two-thirds of a
mile.

About 2,000 feet to the north-north-west from the great
Dih of Bhuila there is a square lank. On its northern side
there is a slightly elevated piece of ground, planted with
trees, which is called Raghiipur Dih, but there are no traces
whatever of any ruins there, except in one spot. This is
bounded on the north-west by a small lake, nhich is about
1,500 feet in length by about 500 feet in breadth. Close
beyond this, to the north-west, there is the large village
of MAhua DAbar which is mostly inhabited by a set of
so-called RAjpdts of the KalahAns tribe, who have a very
questionable right to the position which they occupy. Im-
mediately to the cast-north-cast of the \iilage of MAhua
DAbar there is a very small lake, which is about 700 feet
in length by about 400 feet in breadth. On the cast and
north-east side of this small lake there is the finst portion
of a series of mounds of ruins, which go by the name of
Airoha, The southern end, or commencement, of this range
of mounds lies about 3,400 feet to the north from the great
Dih of Bhuila. These mounds are divided into two por-
tions, one of which lies to the south-western side of a
\nllage called Kotwa, and the other lies a little further to
the north-west, a short distance to the west of a village
called RAmapur. A ven' small lake lies between these two
portions of the mounds. The southernmost of these two
sites consists of a raised piece of ground, about 1,300 feet in
length from north to south by about 700 feet in breadth from
east to west ; but the ancient village of Kotwa impinges on
the north-eastern comer of this site, and adds perhaps about
200 feet more to the site each way. On the southern
portion of this site there are the remains of two small stOpa
mounds of brick over-grown with small trees and bushes.
One of these stApa mounds lies about 200 feet to the
north of the other, and there is an oblong-shaped, raised
site, full of bricks, which lies between them. About 150 feet
to the east of the latter there are the remains of a third
very much smaller stApa mound. These three small stApa
mounds form the figure of a nearly equilateral triangle be-
tween them.

The second portion of the Atroha mounds, called Gatha^
is situated about 270 feet to the north-west from the former

l5o REPORT OF TOURS IN THE

across a very small lake, .or long-shaped pond. The area of
ground covered by this second portion of the Atroha mounds
is about 630 feet in extent from north to south, by about
800 feet across from east to west at the southern end, while
it is only about 450 feet in breadth from east to west to-
wards the northern end. At the south-eastern corner of this
area there is an irregular quadrilateral-shaped mound, full of
fragments of bricks, which looks like the remains of a small
fort. This mound of ruins is of a considerable height on
the east side; and there is a high, circular, conical heap
at the south-east corner, which appeared to me to be the
remains of a large bastion; and there is also the trace
of the former existence of a small bastion at the north-east
corner.

On the western side there is a long, narrow, slightly
raised ridge, which appeared to mark the site of a former
wall on that side ; and this terminates with a broader and
somewhat higher projection at the northern end, which may
have been another bastion. This mound measured about 170
feet on its northern and southern sides, about 180 feet on its
eastern side, and about 150 feet on its western side. About
220 feet to the west from this mound, and exactly parallel to it
western side, there is an exceedingly curious, long, narrow,
ridge-shaped mound, which looks exactly like the back of a
whale just above water, or like a very long canoe turned bottom
- upwards. This mound is very narrow and very long. It runs
to a sharp point at each end, and is broadest in the middle.
It rises to a considerable height in the middle, and slopes
gradually down to nothing at each 'end. This ridge is about 180
feet in length from north-north-east to south-south-west. At
the middle it measured about 30 feet across in actual diame-
ter, or about 50 feet over the protuberant curve of the top;
while at each end it measured next to nothing. About 80 feet
to the west from this curious long-shaped mound, one comes
upon the high bank of an ancient tank. The dimensions of
this tank are about 180 feet from north to south, by about 170
feet from east to west. It is surrounded by very high banks
or mounds on the eastern, southern, and western sides ; and
these niounds are full of fragments of brick and pottery, so.
that it is evident that the tank must have been surrounded by
buildings on three sides.

About 1 70 feet to the north-east from the tank there is
another mound-cover.ed site. This site has an extent of about
340 feet from north to south, with a breadth of about - 140 feet

CENTRAL DOAB AND GORAKPUR IN 1874-75 & 1875.76 15 1

from east to west. At the south-western side, however, there is
also a somewhat raised piece of ground, but which slopes
down to nothing towards the west. The raised piece of
ground first mentioned is composed, as it were, of tWo
squares, joined together north and south, the two measuring
together, as I before stated, about 340 feet from north to
south, by about 140 feet from east to west The southern-
tnost of the two squares has three small conical mounds of
brick on its western side, one at each end and one at the
middle of the side. The northernmost square has a small
conical mound of brick, about the middle' of its eastern
side.

At the distance of about 50 feet to the east from the last-
named site there is a high mound of ruins, which is of a
quadrilateral figure, with a high and long projection at the
north-west corner. This site measured about go feet on the
south side ; about 1 10 feet on the east side ; about 120 feet on
the north side, including the breadth of the projection at the
north-west corner ; and about 1 70 feet on the west side, in-
cluding the length of the projection at the north-west corner.
This mound is amass of bricks, and must have been the site of
some large building. A short distance from the north-east
corner of this site there is an old well, and beyond that the
remains of an old tank or pond.

About 800 feet to the east from the last-named site there
is the ancient village of R^imapur, which is itself mostly
situated on a mound of ruins. Close to the south side of

lies exactly half-way between RAmapur and Kotwa. The village
of R^mapur lies about 450 feet to the north-west from the
village of Kotwa.

About from 800 to 1,000 feet to the north from the
village of Rilmapur there iS U large lake called Nariwa Tdl^
which is nearly 3,000 feet in length from east to west, by
about goo feet in breadth from north to South This large
take lies about 1,000 feet to the north from the most norther-
ly of the Atroha or Garha mounds. When this lake, the
Nariwa Tdl, is flooded during the rains, its surplus water does
not empty itself to the south towards the Bhuila Tal, but to
the north, through a succession of small lakes and nalas, to
the east of Kot, and by way of Bauhan and Behari, to the
Bisui River. But immediately to the south and west of
Atroha Dih, all surplus waters run either towards the Bhuila
Lake or towards the Rawai River. From these two facts it

152

REPORT OF TOURS IN THE

would appear as if Atroha formed part of a land’s height, or
watershed.*

This ruined site, called Atroha, with its assemblage of
detached mounds, must evidently anciently have constituted
the most northerly extension of the city of Kapilavastu, if I am
right in my general identification of Bhuila as the site of the
ancient capital of the ^ttkyas. In fact, an ancient causeway,
or road paved with bricks, appears to have extended, in an-
cient times, all the way northward from the northern edge of
Bhuila Dih to the southern edge of Atroha Dili ; remains
of this causeway have been dug up in the fields here and
there along this line ; and the bricks of this causeway finally
crop out on the northern edge of a small rising ground called
Raghupur Dih, close to the south of Atroha. The name
Atroha is a curious one, and it is difficult to arrive at any
satisfactory conjecture as to its etymological origin. In
Sanskrit, Ati- 7 'oha might mean either the very brown, or the
very red, or the exceeding lamentation.

The Kalahdns R^ijputs of the neighbouring .village of
Mahua D^bar say that when they first came to this locality
Atroha was in the possession of the Bhars. In fact, according
to another tradition which I heard, it would appear that the
ancestor of the Kalahftns Rajputs was in the service of the
Bhar Raja ; and that on the occasion of a marriage feast
among the Bhars, they (the Bhars) got drunk, when the
Kalahans and his followers arose and slew all the Bhars and
took possession of their property.

I have previously stated that I believed that the ancient
city of Kapilavastu extended from Atroha Dih on the north,
to Bawarpara Dih and ParsS, Dih on the south, a distance of
about 2 miles and a third. The village of BtlwarpS-ra is
situated on a high mound of ruins, about 2,700 feet due south
from Bhuila TM. There is a broad ditch of water on the
north and north-western sides of B^warp^ra Dih. This mound
of ruins is upwards of 600 feet in extent from east to west, with
an uncertain breadth of from about 450 feet to 800 feet from
north to south. But while the mound is high on the no.rthern
and western sides, it slopes down gradually on the southern
side, and the fields are strewed with fragments of brick and
pottery, for some distance beyond, towards the south. The
village of B^warp^ra covers the eastern half of the great

M ^ ^ however, since been informed that another nala runs out of the

Nariwa Tal in a south-westerly direction, and thus contributes to the sources of
the Rawai or Rohwai River.

CENTRAL DOAB AND GORAKPUR IN 1874-75 & 1 875-76. 1 53

mound. On the north-western part of the mound there is a
sort of round-shaped tumulus of bricks, on which there is a
large tree growing.

• The small village of Parsa is situated about 1,000 feet
to the west-north-west from Bawarp^ra Dih j while Pars&
Dih, or the mound of ruins at Pars^, is situated a short dis-
tance to the south of the village of that name, and about 950
feet to the west from B4war PAra Dih. This site, called ParsA
Dih, is a quadrilateral, raised piece of ground, about 250 feet
across each way. About the middle of the western side of
this site there is a very curious small hemispherical earthen
stupa, which looks very much like a large cup or bowl turned
upside down. This small stflpa mound is apparently com-
posed of a kind of sandy earth mixed with fragments of brick ;
and it had a thick clump of high rank grass growing on the top
of it, like a shock of stiff hair growing straight on end. The
edges of this stupa have been very much cut away round the
base, by the villagers, for the sake of getting a few more
feet of ground for ploughing. The ground slopes gradually
up towards the stdpa, and is strewed with small fragments of
brick and pottery.

About a mile and one-third to the south-east from Bhuila
TAl there is a very ancient mound of ruins called Per are, or
Pinddri Dth, from the name of a village which is situated on
the north-eastern side of ^ it. This mound of ruins is only
about one-third less in size than the great Dih of Bhuila,
as PindAri Dih measured about 900 feet in length from north
to south, by about 660 feet on the south side, and upwards of
300 feet on the north side. But, at the same time, PindAri Dih
is one mass of bricks, and very large bricks are sometimes dug
out of it. The most important fact connected wth this site is
that Indo-Scythic coins are frequently found on the mound
during the rains. I myself received about a dozen of these
coins from PindAri Dih ; and the majority of them were large
copper coins of the Indo-Scythic King Kanishka, and the
remainder were of one of his successors. Several coins of the
Sunga or Mitra dynasty were also found at PindAri. The
people pronounce the name of the place as Perdre, There
were three very small low mounds of brick ruins near the
west side of PindAri Dih.

I have previously cursorily mentioned a place called
Prds Dih. The name of this place is most absurdly and
wrongly given as O liras deeh in the maps. The large
ancient village of PrAs Dih is situated on a mound of ruins

REPORT OF TOURS IN THE

J54

about a mile and three-quarters due east from Bliuifa Dih,
and about three-quarters of a mile east from the eastern end
of Bhuila T^l. Judging by the extent of the mound of
ruins on which the village of Pras ~Dih is situated, I should
say that it must have been the site of an ancient town,
probably an eastern suburb of Kapilavastu.

In the fields close to the south side of Pr^s Dih, I saw
the remains of the foundations of two buildings composed
of ancient bricks. These may possibly have been the sites
of uih&ras^ or temples.

About a quarter of a mile to the west of PrAs Dih there
is a very large ancient tank, called Pokhra. This is sur-
rounded by high banks, which are full of fragments of brick and
pottery. I saw a pAnwari, or plantation of pan plants, on
the east side of the tank.

Again, about half a mile, or less, to the south-west of
Pras Dih, and about i,ooo feet from the eastern end of
the lake of Bhuila, there is another mound of ruins, called
Rdjiipur Dili ; and there are the remains of a small tank near
the north-east side of the mound. From the name of this
mound of ruins, Rdnipur Dih^ it must evidently have re-
ceived the appellation on account of some Rani, or queen ;
and I have, therefore, a strong suspicion that it preserves the
memory of Maya Devi, Queen of Kapilavastu, and mother of
Buddha ! I found the traces of an ancient road running past
this mound, in an easterly direction, when I first came to
Bhuila. In many places this old road had been ploughed up
into fields and entirely obliterated, but it re-appeared again
here and there in spots at broken intervals. I traced frag-
mentary portions of this ancient highway for a distance of
about 4 miles in an easterly direction, and I believe that
it is the last remains of the ancient track along which MayA
Devi travelled on her journey to theLumbini Garden and Koli
or VyAghrapura ! I regret, however, to say that, during the
latter half of this year, 1875, since I have been at Bhuila,
many portions which remained of this ancient road, and which
I had traced, have been ruthlessly ploughed up and obli-
terated for ever ! It is remarkable, however, that the first
time I discovered a portion of this ancient track, and placed
my feet upon it, I exclaimed at once, “ This is the road to the'
Lumbini Garden, and to Koli ! ” And it turned out eventually
to be true, as will afterv'^ards be seen. On one fragmentary
portion [of this track I found fragments of brick imbedded
in the earth, as if it had originally been part of a causeway.

CENTRAL DOAB AND GORAKPUR IN 1874-75 ^ 1875-76 155

But perhaps the most distinct, striking, and imposing of
the more outlying ruined sites, in the vicinity of Bhuila, is
the following : —

About 4^ miles due north from Bhuila Dth, and about
2 miles to the south of the Bisui River, there is a high
mass of solid brick ruins, which are the remains of an an-
cient fortress of great strength, and which is called /Coi,
or the fort. It is only about two-thirds of the size of the
great Dih of Bhuila, but it is much higher. When I visited
it, the interior of this ancient ruined fortress was filled with
dense and almost impenetrable jangal. The ruins of Ab/ are
composed of the same kind of ancient bricks as Bhuila Dih,
and'itmust be of equal antiquity with the latter. It is, there-
fore, somewhat strange that this fort does not appear to have
been noticed either by Fa-Hian or Huen Thsang, unless indeed
it may have been included among the fen deserted towns of
Kapilavastu mentioned by Huen Thsang.

The fort of Kot is quadrangular, and measured about
740 feet from north to south, by about 520 feet from east to
west. There are high, massive bastions of brick, at the four
angles and at the four sides ; the bastions on the eastern and
northern sides and the north-eastern angle being the highest.
The ramparts are high, broad, and solid ; and the descent
from the ramparts into the interior is very great. The whole
fort is one mass of solid brick.

On descending into the interior, one descends, as it were,
into a pit filled with suffocatingly dense jangal, which entirely
’hides everyVnrng around one trom view. V^’nVie Standing on
the ramparts, however,^ my attention had been attracted
by two high, somewhat conical-shaped, masses of brick
ruins, one of which is situated about the centre of the fort,
and the other to the east of it. I accordingly made my
way to the Spot, and found that these two high masses of
ruins were connected by a raised ridge of bricks, which ran
between them from one to the other.

A large Python (or Indian Boa-constrictor) is said to have
been caught in the jangal in this old fort two or three years
ago, and it is said to have been taken away by some gentle-
men.

Close to the south of the fort outside there is a pond of
water, and from this a ditch originally ran round the whole
outer circuit of the fort on the other three sides. The ditch
is nearly filled up ando bliterated on the western side, but

REPORT OF TOURS IN THE

156

on the northern and eastern sides the hollow line of the
ditch is still very distinct.

To the east of the fort, the large village of Kot is
situated on a ridge of ruins, which is evidently the site of an
ancient town. It is now inhabited by Bisen R&.jp'uts. To
the north-west of the fort there is a very small village,
inhabited by a few Gautam Rajputs, which appears to be
situated on part of a mound of ruins. To the west of the
fort there is a small round-topped mound of ruins, with a
large tree growing on the top of it. Some few hundred feet
beyond this to the west, in the fields there are traces of
brick ruins in one spot, from which some unknown hidden
treasure is said to have been abstracted by some people wHo
came on horseback at night.

About a quarter of a mile to the north-west of Kot there
is a long, shallow, marshy lake, which is only filled with water
during the rainy season, but gets dry during the hot season.

All the lakes in this part of the country must, in ancient
times, have been both larger and deeper than they are now ;
but they become gradually filled up by the agency of a
kind of reed called narai. Thus Bhuila TM has lost fully
one-third of its original extent, which can still be traced.
And as the lakes become more and more filled up, the rivers
which they feed decrease in size, and nearly dry up, or become
mere nalas ; and thus, as will afterwards be shown, the
Rohini River has become a mere concatenation of small nalas
and small marshy lakes.

There is another mound of ruins, and apparently also
the remains of a very small stupa, at a place called Sentua^
about a mile and three quarters to the north-north -west from
Bhuila Dih ; and another mound of ruins called Mover Dili
lies about three-quarters of a mile to the north-north-east
from Sentfia, or about half-way between Bhuila and Kot.

At a village called Stkhari, miles to the north-east
from Bhuila, there is a large and important mound of ruins,
and I think, perhaps, also the remains of the base of a stfipa,
which will be described further on.

At a place called Bhatd, or Kosahra^ a mile and a half
to the north-west of Bhuila Dih, there is an important collec-
tion of ruins, mostly, apparently, the ruins of small stupas,
which will afterwards be described in their proper place
further on.

I also saw a somewhat low or flattish mound of ruins at
a village called Makoiya (the Mukooea of the maps), about

CENTRAL DOAB AND GORAKPUR IN 1874-75 & 1875-76. 1 57

3f- miles to the north-west half north-north -west from Bhuila.
The traces of ruins at Makoiya are said to have been more
distinct some years ago ; but they have been much dug
out and levelled down, for the sake of bricks and cultivation..

At the village of Dharaotva (the Dhundhowa of the
maps), 3 miles to the north-west from Bhuila, there is a
very large ancient tank, called Dharaoiva Sdgar^ which is
surrounded on three sides, by very high embankments. This
Sdgar w-as constructed, in very ancient times, on the ancient
line of road which ran from Kapilavastu to Seheiinehet^
Srdvasti mahaivii.

At the east side of the village of on the right or

west bank of the Rawai River, 2^ miles to the west-south-west
from Bhuila, there is a mound of brick ruins.

At Sdn-dih (mis-spelt Snandee in the maps), on the east
or left bank of the Rawai River, a mile and a quarter to the
south-west from Bhuila, there are traces of the sites of brick
ruins, and an ancient well at the west side of the village.

Lastly, near a place called Garha, 3^ miles to the south
from Bhuila Dih, there is a small mound of brick ruins
(also called fnttva)^ to the west of a small, middle-aged,
dilapidated mud fort. The brick ruins are attributed to the
Th^rus, which latter people also gave their name to a village
called Thdrfiapur (the Tnaroopoor of the maps), 2J miles to
the south of Garha. But Thdrdapur is now inhabited by
Brahmans.

I might mention several other places, such as Piiratna,
Bhtiiy and Kanrakpiir (the Kundrukpoor of the maps), in the
same south-westerly direction, where small mounds, or traces
of ruins, are found ; but they would be out of place here, and
I have already mentioned more than enough of such places.

There are, however, other sites, of much more interest
and importance, such as Nagra to the north-west ; Kanak-
pur^ or Khopawd Dih^ to the west ; Sarkiihia to the south-
south-east; Bitdhapdra and Majlidwan^ and the Vardita
Kshetra^ to the east, — all of which ‘will hereafter be noticed
and fully described in their proper order.

16.— IDENTIFICATION OF VARIOUS SITES.

I must now 'return again, once more, to the immediate
neighbourhood of the great Dih, or ruined mound of the

REPORT OF TOURS IN THE

158

citadel, at BJmila, which I have identified with what Huen
Thsang calls the “ Palace'' of Kapilavasiu.^ For the perfect
identification of this site, the fixed ascertainment of certain
other contingent points is absolutely necessary ; and I will
therefore now proceed to take the latter into consideration
seriatim.

1. — Huen Thsang mentions that, at the distance of three or

four li to the south of the city, there was a stupa in a forest,
or grove, of Nyagrodlia trees, which was raised on the spot
where “ Tathdgata" (or Buddha), on returning to his

native country, after having obtained the “supreme intelligence”
(“buddhi”), saw his father, and explained the “ Law” to him.
I have identified this stupa with the curious hemispherical
mound, or earthen barrow, which stands on the Dih of Parsft,
a short distance to the south of the village of Parsa, and
which has already previously been described. The distance
of this earthen mound, southwards, from the “ ditch ” at the
south side of Bhuila Dih, or the citadel of Kapilavaslu, is
about 4,230 feet, which is equal to about four Chinese //, at
the rate of five li to a mile.

2. — The stupa which was raised on the spot where the
Prince Siddh^rtha, or Buddha, contended or competed with
the rest of the Sakyas in archery, was, according to Huen
Thsang, situated at some distance outside, and to the south
of the southern gate of the town, and to the left (or east)
side of the road ; by which I would suppose that he must,
of course, have meant from the southern gate of the citadel,
as Huen Thsang himself states that the extent of the city,
or town, could not be ascertained ; and, consequently, if the
extent of the city, or town, was not known, it is impossible
that any of the gates of the town could be known. It is,
therefore, evident that the “ Stupa of Archery” must have been
situated at some distance to the south of either the southern
gate of the citadel, which Huen Thsang calls a “ Palace,”
or else to the south of the southern ditch of the citadel.

Now, I have already mentioned that, at a moderate dis-
tance to the south of the great Dih, or ruined citadel
mound, at Bhuila, on the bank of the lake, 760 feet to the
east of the village of Jaitapur, there are the remains of a
large brick stupa, which was in a comparatively entire state,
and nearly 20 feet in height, when I first came to Bhuila,
but which has since been nearly totally destroyed, and the
bricks taken away, through the mischievousness, or ill-will,
of the native zamindars. This stupa, or what remains of it.

CENTRAL DOAB AND GORAKPLTR IN 1874-75 & i8;s.7& 159

is situated about 2,050 feet to the south*south.east from the
great Dih, or ruined mound of the citadel, of Bliuila. I
believe that this is the stupa that was raised to mark the spot
on which Prince SiddhArtha stood when he performed his
feats of archery j and it must evidently have been at some
considerable distance from the palace, as it is stated by
Huen Thsang that the elephant which Devadatta killed on
the road near the ditch was btfing taken to bring Prince
SiddhArtha back a^ain from the place where he had been
victoriously competing with the other SAkyas in archery', &c.

3. — I have already pointed out and identified a certain
deep, nearly circular tank, at Bhuila, w’hich is generally
called the Halhi or " Kund^' between the

southern ditch of Bhuila Dih and the village of Jaitapur,
as the ** Hasti Carttal* where the dead elephant is sup-
posed to have fallen, wiiich Prince SiddhArlha, or Buddha,
IS said to have thrown across tlie ditch. The Hat hi
Ktind'' is situated about 340 feet to the south of the
“ditch.” But we have yet to find the stApa which was
erected on the spot from which Buddha is said to have
throw'n the elephant. As it would appear to be indicated
that Buddha threw the elephant across the ditch, soutlnvards,
the stupa that marked the spot from which he threw' it should
apparently be looked for on the northern side of the ditch.
Now', although there are four or five irregular-shaped, flat-
topped, mounds of ruins on the northern side of the ditch, be-
tw’cen the ditch and the great D^h^ there are none of these
mounds of such a height or shape as w’ould indicate a stApa.
In fact, these low', broad mounds w'puld rather appear to
have been the sites of buildings* such as Vihdrs^ W’ith the
.houses or habitations connected with them. But imme-
diately'on the southern edge of the ditch, and 330 feet to the
north-east of the Hat hi Kund, there is a pretty Iiigh, somewhat
conical-shaped, isolated mound of earth, W'hich appears to
me to be evidently the remains of n stApa, w'hich, no doubt,
has been gradually stripped of its bricks by the zamindars,
or villagers.* But if this be the remains of the stupa referred
to by Huen Thsang, then it is plain that it must have been
meant to say that Buddha threw' the elephant from the ditch,
and not “across ” the ditch. This appears to me to be the
more probable, from the circuinstances mentioned in the

’ I have been assured by the people here th.nt this mound \v.is lormerl)
\erj high stfipa, but that it has gradually been demolished by the zammdars.

l6o REPORT OF TOURS IN THE

account of the matter given by Huen Thsang, as will be
seen from the following abstract which I have made in English
from Huen Thsang’s description of Kapilavastu^ as given
in M. Stanislas Julien’s French translation.

After the victorious conclusion of Prince Siddhc\rtha’s
contest, or competition, with the other rival ^ S&kyas, in feats
of archery, &c., an elephant, with its driver, was sent to
bring the Prince Royal back again to the palace. Dcvadatta
met the elephant going, and asked the driver (or mahout)
where he was taking the elephant to. The elephant-driver
replied that he was taking the elephant to fetch the
Prince Royal, who was about to return. Devadafta there-
upon became transported with fury, and killed the elephant,
which, consequently, fell dead upon the road which led to the
southern gate of the palace, or citadel ; and the elephant’s
body thus, of course, obstructed the road-way, by lying
across it. Presently, “ Sundarananda came to the spot, and
enquired who had killed the elephant ; and on being told
that it was Devadatta, he {Snndaranandd) drew the dead
elephant out of the road. Lastl)'", at length, the Prince
Royal himself, in his turn, arrived upon the scene, and asked
who had committed this evil action and killed the elephant ;
and on being informed that it was Devadatta, the Prince
raised the elephant, and launching it in the air, caused it to
pass over the ditch of the city. And at the place where the
elephant fell, it formed a deep ditch (that is, rather a deep
hole or depression in the ground), which in after-times popular
tradition continued to call “ the ditch, or pit, of the elephant ”
Hasti-gartd^'). (Literally^ Elephant’ s Pit.)

Now, from the above account, of which I have given a
free and explanatory rendering, while, at the same time also
keeping true to the facts and circumstances of the original,
two things become plainly evident ; of which one is, that the
elephant was going, on a common open road, on its way
out to fetch the Prince Royal from his field of victory back
to the palace, or citadel, and that therefore the elephant must
have been at some distance outside and beyond the reach
of any of the houses or other buildingts, or stre'ets, near the
citadel ; and the other is, that the place where the Prince
Royal had been performing his victorious exploits in archery,
&c., must have been situated at some considerable distance
from the citadel, as it was considered necessary to send an
elephant thither in order to bring the Prince back: and the
elephant had evidently already proceeded some little distance

CENTHAL DOAB AND GORAKPUR IN t 874 . 7 S & 1875*76. l6l

on its way, when it was met and killed by Devadaifa ; and yet
it would appear that the Prince Siddhdrtha must have been
much farther off still, as it is-plain that he could not have either
:seen or heard anything at the moment of the commotion caused
by the crashing fall of so huge an animal as the elephant ;
for it would seem as if the Prince did not know anything
about the death of the elephant at all until he arrived late at
the spot some time afterwards, and not until after the car-
case of the dead elephant had been dragged out of the road
by Sundarananda.

Now, the whole space immediately on the northern side of
the southern ditch, and between the ditch and the great dih
of the citadel^ appears to have been originally entirely covered
with brick buildings, of which the traces still remain, consisting
of broadish, flattened mounds, brick foundations, heaps of
broken bricks, and fragments of brick scattered about every-
where; and I therefore believe that the outer southern gate,
leading to the citadel, must have been close to the edge of
the ditch, or that it opened directly upon the northern edge
of the ditch. In this case it is exceedingly improbable, and
contrary to all known custom, that elephants would be per-
mitted to be kept, or to remain inside, the gate, within the
ditch, and on a site, too, which, as I have already shown, is
entirely covered with the traces of the foundations of very
ancient brick buildings ; and, consequently, I believe that the
elephant which was killed by Devadatta must have been on
the open road, immediately outside, or to the south, of the
ditch, and just where the isolated earthen mound is, Avhich
I believe to be the remains of a stupa, and round the western
and southern edges of which mound the old road still conti-
nues to wind, and which road runs from the southern foot of
the great dih of the citadel, and from thence across the
ditch, and from the ditch southwards to the village of Jaita-
pur. And the fact that this isolated mound is situated
absolutely on the ancient line of road, which led from the
southern gate of the citadel, and across the ditch southwards,
constitutes a very strong point in its favour.

4. I have already, in a previous paragraph, identified ,the
sites of the four Vihdras, which contained the four statues
of the “ Fonr Predictive Signsi^ which stood opposite to
four of the gates of the citadel j and I therefore need not
again refer to these four mounds, except merely to make a
few further remarks concerning one of these mounds
opposite to the north gate, which I excavated.

VOL. XU

L

i 62

REPORT OF TOURS IN THE

This mound is situated 220 feet to the north from the
great “ dih ” of Bhuila. The actual mound itself, before'
I excavated it, measured about 100 feet from east to west, by
about 90 feet from north to south ; I found that it contained
the remains of buildings which covered a space of about
85 feet from east to west, by about 75 feet from north to south.
The principal building, of which the foundations remained
most perfect, occupied the southern half of this area, and
measured about 39 feet from east to west, by about 30 feet,
in one part, from north to south ; and it appeared to be
divided into four small chambers ; but the traces of the
northern wall were not so perfectly distinguishable. The
breadth of this building was apparently less at the eastern end,~
which was impinged upon by an ancient well, which I discover-^
ed during the course of the excavation, and which I cleared
out, and there is now good water in it. A few small fragments
of sculpture were found in clearing out the well. This well is
built of large, thick, ancient bricks. Seven feet six inches to
the east from the site of the large building there is the site of a
circular building, composed of wedge-shaped bricks, which are
curved on their outer sides. This circular foundation is about
1 8 feet in diameter. On the centre of it there were the
remains of a small, square, cell-like structutre, I did not at first
know what to make of this circular foundation, unless it were
the base of a stupa ; and, indeed, I at first believed it to have
been a small stupa^ attached to Vilidra^ of which the ruins I
excavated are probably the remains. This appeared at first the
more probable, as' in clearing away the earth from round about
this circular base, the lid and a portion of another part of a
small steatite box, and also a small circular copper lid, which
had evidently belonged to a small tubular copper box, were
found ; and I thought that these fragments might be the re-
mains of a relic casket, which might possibly have been con-
tained in some small stupa which might have stood on or near
this spot. But on afterwards making a further excavation into
the centre of this circular structure, I found that it really
contained a small well, which was only 2 feet 8 inches in
diameter, and which I cleared out until I came to water. In
this srnall well I found numerous curiosities of various kinds,
the principal of which were a number of terra-cotta figures
of various sizes, with also some fragments of much larger
ones, which must have, been statues made of burnt clay
instead of stone. These terra-cotta figures are evidently
very ancient, and some of them are very curious. One,

CENTRAL DOAB AND GORAKPOR IN 1874-75 & 1875-76 163

in particular/ of a female, of which the head and bust only
remain, about one-fifth of life-size, has the face wrinkled
into a broad grin, as if laughing heartily. Another is the
figure of a manner woman sitting on a high stool, with the
feet placed downwards on the ground, just as a European
would sit on a chair. This figure wears a kind of coat
which reaches down to the knees. The hands rest on the
knees, /and the right hand holds some object like a bottle,
while tbe left hand holds a cup or bowl. Unfortunately the
head of this figure had been broken off, and could not be
found. But perhaps the most important of these terra-cotta
figures is the half of a small figure of Buddha^ down to the
waist, nearly 5 inches in its present height, and which must,
therefore, originally have been about 10 or ii inches in
its entire height. The hair is represented as rather longer
than in the conventional statues of Buddha^ but it is also
gathered up into the characteristic Buddhistical conical knot
on the top of the head. Another, though now much broken
and disfigured, had originally been an exceedingly well formed
head and face, with part of the shoulders of a female, about
one-fifth of life-size, and wearing enormous solid circular ear-
rings in the lower lobes of the ear. These earrings are the
absolutely exact representations of the large wheel-shaped
copper earrings, elsewhere described, which I found in the
course of my excavations.' I have a strong suspicion that this
may be the remains of a statue of Mdyd Devi, I think, more-
over, that it is very possible that some, or even many, of the
ancient statues at Kapilavasiti may after all have been made
of terra-cotta^ and not of stone at all !

The site of the large building before described to the
west of the well was probably a residence of the Buddhist
Monks, as it divided into four chambers. The line of this
building lies nearly due east and west ; but its remains were
over-ridden by a small, narrow, rude structure of much later
date, the line of which lay north-west and south-east. This
small narrow structure is very roughly built of broken bricks
mixed with earth. It appeared to me to have been used as
the furnace of a metal worker, as a considerable amount of
slag and ashes were found in it, besides a number of small

• General Cunningham, however, to whom I showed these circular, rather
cylindrical, rolls of copper and silver bands, thinks that they are metal rolls which
were inscribed with Buddhist prayers, or religious sentences, used as charms. But
H they are so, then all 1 can say is that the bands of metal %vere so closely welded
together, that all the letters of the inscriptions must have been flattened down
and obliterated.

164 REPORT OF TOURS IN THE

and large crucibles for melting metals which were of a black
colour and some of them in a half vitrified state.

To the north of this building there were the remains of
two other small buildings, one of an irregular shape, and the
other apparently quadrilateral. Under the foundation of the
first of these several crucibles were found, amidst fragments
of old pottery, and bits of slag and ashes.

In my previous reference to this site, I mentioned that
several ancient coins were found in it, during the course of
excavation, of which the most important were a nearly blank,
square, punch>marked coin of mixed metal, a large copper
coin of the Indo-Scythic king 1Vef/io Kadphiscs, a coin bear-
ing the name of a Hindu king " Punishadaia'‘ and a
beautiful square copper coin bearing a number of Buddhist
symbols, and which was in as perfect a state as on the day it
was coined. This last coin is probably the oldest of the three
last. The coin of PuriisJindata/’ from the square form of
the letters of his name inscribed on the coin, is probably of
about the period of Kanishka, the successor of IVcmo Knd-
pJiises, 'or say about B. C. 45. The coin of IPcmo Kadpftiscs
may be dated from any year between B. C. 57 and B. C. 48, as
Wemo Kadphiscs commenced his reign, to the north-west of
India, about B. C. 57-58, while Kanishka commenced his reign
about B. C. 48. But as the punch-marked coin is of the
greatest antiquity, and the square coin with Buddhist symbols
is at least as old as either of the two others, it is evident
that the building, among the ruins of which these coins were
found, must have been standing as early, at least, as B. C.
50, and was probably founded some time previous to that
period.

Besides the coins and the crucibles and a few defaced frag-
ments of sculpture from the larger well, and the tcrra-coita
figures from the smaller well, various other curiosities were
found during the excavation in this mound. The fragments,
of sculpture from the larger well consisted of the base of
a statue with the feet, and the side ornaments with the
hands. As one of the hands held a sankfi, or shell, it is
probable that it belonged to a statue of Vishmi. These
fragments were very much worn and defaced, as the material
of the sculpture was a very fragile kind of clayey limestone.
Numerous ornamentally carved brides were also found
among the ruins, which shows that the buildings on this spot
must have been highly ornamented exteriorly ; and as I also
found several pointed leaf-shaped battlements or crenula-

CENTRAL DOAB AND GORAKPUR IN 1874*75 & :875.76. J65

tidns, called Kanguras^ composed of the same substance
as brick, or terra-cotta^ it is probable that the building was
surmounted by a row of these ornamental projections. Of
articles in metal also several were found ; of which I may
mention a long iron spear-head, 10 inches in length, which
had a hollow at one side for fitting it on to a staff ; also a
fragment of the blade of a sword or dagger ; also a long
iron rod, an iron chisel, two four-cornered arrow-heads, one
of which was 4|- inches in length and the other 2^ inches in
length, and several small copper rods with bulb-shaped
ends, which may possibly have been used for putting surma
in the eyes of females. But perhaps the most curious
articles in metal were three or four round wheel-shaped
masses formed of bands of copper or silver folded or wound
concentrically round a centre, just like a roll of tape, and
having raised flanges on the outer edges. These I believe
to be ancient earrings,* which were worn in enormous slits
in the long lobes of the ears, in the time of Buddha^ as we
see them represented in sculptures.

I may also here mention that I myself picked up a coin
of " Agni Mitra ” of the Sunga dynasty, on the northern
slope of the great ” Dik/' or ruined mound of the citadel,
at Bhuila. I do not know the exact date of Agm Mitra' s
reign, but the date of his predecessor, Pershpamitra^ is set
down in Prinsep’s Genealogical Tables as B, C. 1 78

About 80 feet to the south-east from the mound above
described, there is a very small mound, containing the remains
of the foundations of a building, which appeared to me to-
be of an oval or elliptical shape.

5. — ^The next points to be identified are the sites of
several Vikdras, or temples or shrines, and monasteries,
which are mentioned by Huen Thsang as being situated
near the palace^ by which as, I have shown, we must now
understand the citadel

Huen Thsang first of all mentions a monastery near
the palace, which was still occupied by thirty monks and
also two Brahmanical temples. But such a meagre notice
as this is a great deal too indefinite for their identification.

It is likely, however, that they may have been situated imme-
diately to the south side of the citadel mound, as there
are the ruined sites of several buildings in that direction.

* Genera! Cunnmgham, however, thinks that these circular copper rolls were
charms, 'containing Buddhist prajers or religous sentences

t66

REPORT OF TOURS IN THE

Next, Huen Thsang mentions that near the place where
Sakya, or Buddha, raised and threw the dead elephant, there
was a ViJidra containing a statue of him, as the Prince Royal.

I would identify this site with a small oval-shaped mound
which is situated on a projecting angle of the northern
edge of the southern ditch, to the south-south-east from
the citadel, 600 feet to the north-east from the Hathi
Kund, and 150 feet to the north-north-east from the isolated
conical-shaped earthen mound which, as I stated before, I
believed to be the site of the stupa which marked the spot
from which Sakya, or Buddha, threw the elephant.

6. — Huen Thsang further mentions that near the last-
mentioned Vihdi'a there was the sleeping chamber of Yasod-
hara, and that beside the latter there was a Vihdr containing
a statue of the Prince Royal receiving his lessons, which
was built on the site of a hall which was used as his school-
room. I have identified this site with another mound which
is situated close to and adjoining the north-west side of the
last-named ^ mound, which I identified in the preceding
paragraph. This mound is about 150 feet in length from

• east to west, by about 70 feet in breadth from north tO’
south.

7. — Lastly, Huen Thsang mentions that at the south-east
angle of the town there was a Vihdr containing a statue
of the Prince Royal and White Elephant. If Huen Thsang
meant the south-east angle of the citadel, then I have got
a mound of ruins exactly to suit that interpretation of his
description ' but if he literally meant the south-east angle
of the town, then, as Huen Thsang himself says that the
extent of the town, or city, was not known, or could not be
made out, it is evident that he could not have known where
the “ south-east angle of the town ” was, any more than I
do ! I therefore believe that Huen Thsang must really have
meant the south-east angle of the citadel. Now, at the
distance of only 160 feet from the south-east corner 'of the
citadel there is a large, broad, flat mound, which is full ‘ of
the ruins of buildings. This mound is about 220 feet in
length from west-north-west to east-south-east, by about 1 70
feet in breadth from north-east to south-west. I therefore
believe this to be the site of the Vihdr ^ with statue of the
Prince Royal and White Elephant.

Again, at the south-western angle of the mound last
above described, there is a small, detached, oblong-shaped
site of a ruined building, which the country people absurdly

CENTRAL DOAB AND GORAKPUR IN 1874-75 *875-76 167

call the tomb of Bhola Shahid" / But it is no more the
tomb of a “ Shahid" than I am. Or, if it is, then the whole
of the ruins are tombs of Shahids / For they are all alike,
and they are composed of the same kind of large-sized
ancient bricks. The small ruined site which the country
people call the tomb of Bhola Shahid^ is evidently simply
the site of a small temple, built of ancient Hindu bricks ;
and, as I before suggested in another place, in the early
part of this report, is probably the site of the Vihdr
opposite to the southern gate, in which there was the recum-
bent statue of a corpse, which was one of the " Four
Predictive SignsP I also previously suggested that this
name of Bhoia Shahid might very probably simply be a
modem corruption either of Bhola Sarir^ meaning ** the in-
nocent corpse,” or of Bhola Sadhu or Bhola Siddha^ meaning
the innocent saint;" and that the name might therefore
refer to the statue of the dead man or corpse. This small
ruined site is situated about 300 feet to the south-south-east
from the southern gate of the citadel, and therefore it
would as nearly as possible answer to the position of one
of the Vihdras of the ” Four Predictive Signs," At the
same time, I may mention that about 1 20 feet to the west
from thisthcre is a large fiat mound of ruins, which measured
about 200 feet from north-north-east to souih-south-west,
by about 100 feet from east to west ; and this mound is still
more exactly opposite to the southern gale. This mound
contains an ancient well ; and on the centre of it, under a
large tree, there are large red, burnt clay, or terra-cotta
figures of elephants placed, which are dedicated to Bhawdm,

The remaining buildings mentioned by Huen Thsang
were all situated on the great dih itself, or on the ele-
vated ruined site of what ho calls the palace ^ but which
I call the citadel; and I shall therefore now proceed to
carry my description up on to the top of the great dih^
or ruined site of the citadel and palaces.

The first of the buildings mentioned by Huen Thsang
as being situated on the site, or within the area, of the
palace^ or citadel, was a Vthdr containing a statue of
Suddhodaiia Raja, As the position of this building has
not been intimated, it is impossible for me to identify it; but
as the mention of it immediately precedes that of another
building which I believe that I have identified, I expect that
the Vthdr containing the statue of Suddhodaiia must have
been situated on the southern part of the citadel.

1 68

report of tours in the

At a short distance from the above, but the direction
not stated, there was the bedchamber of Jlfaha-Maya, the
mother of Buddha; and above, or upon it, there was' a
Vzhdr, with a statue of the queen. Now, I believe that this
-very building has been excavated by me. If I am right in
my identification, this building is situated exactly about the
middle of the southern side of the citadel ; at the distance
of 880 feet to the south, from the northern end of the
citadel, 500 feet to the west-north-west from the south-
eastern angle of the citadel, and about 400 feet west from
the south-western angle of the citadel. The building is
large, and measured about 71 feet from east to west, by the
same distance from north to south. But the exterior outline
of the building is very irregular, as there are projections
and additions every here and there. In the centre of this
mass of building there is a very deep chamber, built of very
large ancient bricks. This chamber is 26 feet in length
interiorly, from east to west, by 15 feet in breadth interiorly
at the broadest part ; but at the distance of 1 1 feet from
the east end, the chamber suddenly narrows, by a projection
inwards, to the decreased breadth of 8 feet. The depth of
the chamber, from top to bottom, I found to be 1 1 feet.
This chamber is undoubtedly very ancient, and it is built of
very large, long, ancient Hindu bricks, which are very much
worn, and one of which measured i foot 4 inches in length,
by 9 inches in breadth, and 2^ inches in thickness. This
building had originally a roof more or less perfect ; but it
was broken through and destroyed, and a portion of the
interior excavated, about 25 years ago, or 4 or 5 years
before the mutiny, by a man who was searching for treasure,
and who is said to have been a Th 4 ru Gosain, from Janakpur.

I excavated the interior of the building until I got down to
below the foundations, and at length reached a spring of water,
which now continues to fill a hole at the bottom.* This cham-
ber evidently had a temple of later date built on the top of it ;
and remains of the walls of this temple are still found on the
top of the north-western, western, and south-western edges of
the chamber. Now, this exactly agrees with the description
given by Huen Thsang, namely, — that on the top of the bed-
chamber of Maha-Maya there was a Vihdr built, which con-
tained a statue of her. At the south-west side of the building -
there is an ancient well, which was partly filled up with

^ The bottom of this excavation has, however, since been filled up again by me.

CENTRAL DOAB AND GORAKPUR IN 1874*75 & 1875-76. l6g

rubbish, and partly choked up by the roots of a large, old
pipal tree, which latter I cut down, and cleared out the well.

While excavating this ruin, several curiosities were found,
among which were four coins of the Sun^a dynasty and one
ancient square coin, and a fragment of a nickel coin bearing
a portion of a legend ; also a seal name of some hard
composition like lac and burnt clay, and which bore an in-
scription consisting of three raised letters, which I read as
^^Sahsa^ Judging by the style of the letters on this seal, it
must be as old as the first century A. D. The reverse of the
seal is stamped with a device consisting of a circle contain-
ing four dots. From the same excavation I obtained an
ancient bronze spring ring, which was slit along its centre
for the greater part of its circumference, and which was
divided at one side, the two ends of the slit part fitting to
the solid end with the greatest nicety ; — and also an iron
clasp and ring, partly inlaid with gold, which had belonged
to the scabbard of a sword. In the ruins of the temple, 07 i
the top^ several fragments of sculpture in stone were found,
but which were apparently of brahminical manufacture.
Numerous carved bricks were excavated from the debris of
this ruin, which showed that there must have been a handsome
brick building which was ornamented exteriorly with patterns,
of which each carved brick formed a part. In the old well
which was excavated, a large squared block of wood was
found, one side of which had pegs fastened into it, and which
may probably have been an old-fashioned instrument for
makicu^ card or rope. Various articles in terra-cotta were
also found in the ruins, among which were two human heads,
one with a very comical face, like that of an old baker, or
an old tavern-keeper, with a conical night cap ; and the
other was a broad, ugly face, with sharp projecting brows and
round goggle eyes, and long ears, with large round earrings
stuck in them. I also obtained a large round clay seal about
an inch and three quarters in diameter, which had a circular
lotus flower, or wheel-shaped ornament, concavely stamped
on it, and which I believe to have been probably the seal of
some monastery. In this excavation, as well as in another,

I got the clay figure of a duck, with holes pierced through
its sides for wheels to be attached ; and numerous round
clay wheels were also found, which had probably belonged
to toy carts. A small clay figure, probably of Buddha, but
without the head and feet, was found in the same excavation ;
and also a small square platter of stone, about af inches

REPOUT OF TOURS IN THE

1 70

each way, with a circular lotus-shaped flower sculptured on
one of its surfaces. A number of small clay stems about
aj inches in length, with a hole pierced through each end,
were found, in one place, in the same excavation ; and also
a clay weight for a net with a groove on each side ; and
numerous earthen vessels of various kinds, including peculiar-
shaped lamps.

About 50 feet to the West-north-west from the ruins last
above described, there is still a large mound of ruins, which
runs first westwards and then turns northwards. The part
which lies east and west is about 130 feet in length, and the
part which lies north and south is about 140 feet in length,
with a varying breadth of from 50 to 60 and 70 feet. This
appeared to me to have been the site of a large compact
portion of the palace, which probably contained the chambers
inhabited by the Raja himself and his family.^ On the cen-
tre of the top of the southern portion of this mound of ruins,
there are traces of the foundations of a super-imposed build-
ing, about 30 feet square. This I believe to be probably the
remains either of the VihCir which was built on the spot where
Sakya (or Biiddlict) is said to have descended into the -womb
of his mother, or else of the ViJidr which contained a
statue of Suddhodaiia Raja, both of which Huen Thsang
described as being situated on the top of the ruins of the
palace, at a short distance from the bedchamber of Maha-
M%a 5 and the site which I have just indicated agrees with
either of the descriptions given by Huen Thsang. Imme-
diately to the west of this mound of ruins there are three
very small conical mounds of brick which look like little
Stupa mounds^ nearly equidistant from one another, which lie
in a line nearly due north and souths or north, half north-
north-east^ by south half South-south-west.

Again, to the east from the temple which I excavated,
and across and to the east side of the hollow or depression
which leads to the southern gate, and on .the south-eastern
portion of the great dih of the citadeb there is a consider-
able elevation composed of the ruins of numerous buildings.
Here on this spot, which is perhaps one of the highest
portions of the elevated plateau of the citadeb there are
the distinct traces or the walls of numerous buildings ; and
it is evident that a great number of the buildings of the palace

^ This is certainly the case ; namely, that it is the site of the “ incarnation of
Buddha/’ as the stupa of Asita is situated to the north-east of it, exactly as
described by Huen Thsatig,

CENTRAL DOAb AND GGRVKPUR IN 1874-75 k 187576 171 *

must have been situated on this spot. It is possible that
here may have been the state apartments of J^aja Sudd/iadana,
and that his statue may also have been here.

The next building noticed by Huen Thsang was a sttjpa,
where the Risht Asita calculated the horoscope of Sakya*
/This stiipa is stated by Huen Thsang to have been situated
to the north-east of the Vz/idr, whei'e S^kya descended into
the womb of his mother. Now, on the top of the great dik of
the citadel, a little to the east of the centre of it, and about
400 feet to the north-north-east half north from the building
which I excavated, as the bed-chamber of Mah 4 -Maya, there
are the remains of a brick st6pa, which at present has the
appearance of an inverted saucer. This stupa is now only
about 6 feet in height, and it has a present diamater of about
60 feet. It appears to me to have been built interiorly of
successively decreasing squares, placed diagonally one on the
top of the other ; and the comers between the points of those
diagonally-placed squares were aftenvards filled up with
bricks, and thus formed a round-sided and round-topped stfipa
wliich was probably originally a hemisphere. When I first
came to Bhuila, this remnant of a stCipa w’as very much covered
with earth, and overgrown wth bushes and shrubs and grass.

I therefore made a slight excavation on its surface and
around it, and cleared it of all extraneous matter, and left
the bare brick structure standing. In the course of this
clearing excavation, I obtained two coins, one of Saya, or
Satya Mitra^ and one much-worn square coin, which had the
traces of the figure of a bull, and some Buddhist symbol.^

Towards part of the eastern side, and along the whole
southern side, of this stupa, and continuing thence for some
distance further west, there is a hollow in the ground, which
is evidently the remains of a ditch j and some of the oldest
inhabitants of the neighbouring village of Jaitapur informed
me that if I dug into this hollow I would come upon a solid
bottom of mortar, or cement, and bricks.

About 400 feet distant to the west, from the stfipa above
described, there is a high round-topped mound of brick ruins,
which may possibly have been another stupa.

Huen Thsang next mentions that, inside the east gate^
of the town (read "citadel"), to the left of the road,

' I aftenvards made an excavation downwards inta the interior of this stupa,
about Its centre, and I found that it was composed of solid brick masonry, and
that It had been simply a solid stfipa built upon the top of two or three square
bases.

report of tours in the

172

there was another stupa. Now, when standing on the east-
ern part of the great dih of the citadel, with one’s face
turned towards the east, to the left side of one of the depres-
sions which formed the eastern _ gateway, one sees a large
round-topped mound of brick, which may very probably be
the remains of the stupa noticed by Huen Thsang.

Lastly, Huen Thsang states that outside the east gate of
the town (read “citadel"’) there was a temple of Iswara-
Deva” containing a statue of him. Now, immediately outside
of the centre of the eastern gate, but on the slope of the side
of the great dih, or citadel, there are the traces of the found-
ations of a small building, on which the temple referred to
by Huen Thsang may perhaps have stood. But Huen
Thsang forgot to note one thing, and that is, that the east-
ern gate of the citadel was double. For on the eastern side
of the great dih there are two hollows or depressions, with
an eminence, consisting of a round-topped mound of brick
ruins, rising between them ; which latter must have been the
site of some large building.

On the northern part of the dih of the citadel, and near
the northern gate, there is a round-topped mound of ruins,
with a very large pipal tree growing on the top of it.

Of coins found on the dih there was one coin of Agni
Mitra of the Sunga dynasty, two defaced Indo-Scythic
coins, and one thin square coin very much defaced, which
bore the faint traces of the Buddhist symbol of Dhai'ma.

I will now proceed to give an account of various places
in the neighbourhood of, or at some distance from, Bhuila,
which I have identified with the various sacred sites near
KapilavastUj or in the neighbouring country belonging to the
Sakyas, which were visited by the two Chinese travellers,
Huen Thsang and Fa-Hian. (I believe the correct Chinese
orthography of the name of the former is “ Hio-wen Thsang j”
but in the present report, for the sake of brevity, I have
generally spelt it “ HuenJ') ,

17.— SITE OF MASSACARE OF SAKYAS.

Huen Thsang mentions that at some distance to the north-
west of Kapilavastu, there were stilpas, in hundreds and
thousands, which marked the spot where a number of Sakyas
were massacred, in an attack made upon Kapilavastu by
Vzudhaka, Raja of Sravasti, after he had dethroned his father

CENTRAL DOAB AND GORAKPUR IN 1874.75 & 1875.76. 1 73

Prasen&jit, who had been a friend (as well as a kinsman) of
the family of Sdkya, or Buddha.

Unfortunately the distance at which these stdpas were
situated from the city, or the place of Kapilavastu, was
not stated by Huen Thsang ; and therefore it is impossible
to tell whether it was i mile or 10 miles. I have, however,
explored the country for a distance of 8 miles to the north-
west from Bhuila' and the only remains of any number of
sthpas that I have been able to find, is at a site called
**Bhaid*' or Kosahra/* about a mile and a half to the
north-west from Bhuila dih, and about half a mile to the
north-west of an old village called Sarnagi/^ Here there
is a high piece of ground, which is full of bricks and covered
by a grove of trees, and which is called “ Bhatdr which
in Hindi means unfortunate or calamitous, or accursed • but
1 suspect that it may perhaps be a corruption of the Sanskrit
Badltd,"' which means slaughtered f or ^'massacred''

This brick-covered extent of ground is about 850 feet in
length, from south-east to north-west, with a vandng breadth
of from 500 to 300 feet. It is simply a mass of bricks com
posed of the rums of a number of small stfipas. I counted
the scattered remains or traces of about thirty small stilDas
altogether The majority of these have the appearance of
flattened-down cairns, or tumuli, of brick; but some are in
the shape of large inverted saucers, representing about one
fourth of a sphere. Of these, all, except one, are utterly
ruined; and the quantities of bricks which lie scattered around
them in every direction show that they are the mere razed
and levelled wrecks of former stdpas. The majority of them
are indeed, in their present state, little better t^n mere
debns, or traces, which serve to indicate the sites and re
spective circumferences of former stiipas; and that is all'
But thev are, nevertheless, quite clearly, and beyond all'
doubt, the yen able remains of an assemblage of small stiipas
of an ancient type, which were raised over the corpses of
men who would appear to have been massacred el masse
on the spot. There is, however, one of these stupas which
is (or was, when I last saw it) still in a nearly perfect con-
dition and of a considerable height, and which owes its
preservation to the fact of its having attracted the supersti-
neighbounng villagers, as a fitting » high
demoniacal tutelary di-
vinity, or This stapa is high and conical

It is nearly a perfect cone. Its perpendicular height may

REPORT OF TOURS IN THE

(74

be about 8 feet above the surface of the great mound of
debris on which it stands, but its top cannot be less than
about 15 feet above the surrounding fields. But this stupa
is so covered and over-shaded by a dense clump of trees
which are growing upon it, that it is difficult to ascertain its
height. Upon the very top of it the people have placed a
collection of enormous figures of elephants made of red
clay.

It is impossible to tell how many stfipas there were origin-
ally, but the surrounding fields are full of bricks, and the
cultivators have collected the bricks in heaps at the edges of
the fields. I have, however, ascertained the fact that there
were formerly an immense number more of similar small ruined
stupas roundabout in the same locality, but which have been
destroyed, in order to clear the ground for cultivation. The
fact is that this locality, less than twenty 3'-ears ago, was
thickly covered with jangal, or rather forest ; and that it was
first cleared and brought under cultivation by Mr. Cooke, the
great landowner. It must, therefore, have been Mr. Cooke's
people, or tenants, who destro)''ed the rest of the small
stupas which were scattered here and there over a wide
extent of ground, where fields now are, the soil of which, as
I said before, is full of bricks.

From all that has been said above, it will appear quite
possible that there may have been many hundreds of small
stupas in this locality, to the north and west of the site
called “ Bhatd'^

I may also here mention that the ground slopes up
from all sides towards Bhatd, which is thus a sort of culminat-
ing point. I therefore believe, both from personal observation,
and as the result of enquiry, that Bhatd must have anciently
been an inhabited site ; and that it was probably in reality
the north-western suburb or continuation of the city of
Kapilavasttc ; and there can be no doubt that Bhatd actually
lies on the ancient line of road which led from Kapilvastu
to Sravastz.

Bhatd is equally commonly called KosahraB
though the latter name properly belongs to a small lake, on
the north-eastern bank of which BhatA; is situated. This
small lake at Bhata, which is called the Kosahra Tal, is
very narrow across from east to west, but very long from
north to south ; and I believe it to have been a portion of
the bed of an ancient river, which probably formed the
north-western boundar}'- of Kapilavasta^ and in defending

CENTRAL DOAD AND GORAKPUR IN t 8 ; 4 - 7 S 1875.76. 175

the passage of which the Sakyas probably fell. It may
have been an old bed of the Rawai River, or of its tributaries
or feeders.

Now, the name of this small lake, " Kesahra*' has a
significant meaning, like that of " BhatA for ** Rosahra**
in Hindi, means*' the accursed pod." In like manner, as I
previously explained, " BhaUt " means unfortunate, calami-
tous, accursed. It is therefore evident that these two names
refer most pointedly to the " massacre of the Sakyas. "

Huen Thsang mention.*; that there were four more stOpas
to the south-west from the place where the Sak3'as wcr6
massacred, but he does not give the distance. I have not
been able to find any four slftpas together to the south-
west of Dhatii^ or Osahra ; but about half a mile to the
south-west, near the village of " Pura^' I found a small
round-topped, hemispherical earthen mound, which m.iy be a
stfipa. At any rale, I ascertained that this mound was so
ancient that no one knew anything about its origin. To
the north-east of it there is a small embanked enclosure,
with a bastion at each of the four corners, and surrounded
by a ditch which is said to be the modem work of a Thakur.
Again, about a quarter of a mile further to the south-south-
west, near the village of " Saladipur," there is a mound,
on the lop of which a single tree is growing. This mound
appears to be full of fragments of brick and potter}', and
slag.

About a mile and a quarter to the cast from Saladipur**
there is a small village called ** Jalatahail** and a vciy
short distance to the west of this last-named village there is
a ** dihf* or broad mound of ruins, but no traces of any
stupa.

18.— SITE WHERE SHADOW OF TREE STOOD
STILL.

In the translation of the Tr.avcls of Huen Thsang by
M. Stanislas JuHen, it is stated that "at the distance of 40
li to the nortli-cast from the city (of Kapilavastu) there is a
stApa. It was in this place that the Rrince Royal, being
seated under the shade of a tree, watched the labourers in
the field. The sun launched forth its latter rays, and mean-
while the shadow (of the tree) did not change its place."
Now, at one-fifth of a mile to the li, 40 Ii would be

REPORT OF TOURS IN THE

1 76

40 li would be nearly equal to 6| miles. I prefer to select
the latter estimate of 6^ miles. At this distance to the
north-east from Bhuila, there are two places named “ Sun0‘
deeh” {San-dih) and Bidooah'^ {Bidua)\ but at neither of
these places have I been able to find any stupa. But we
must not judge of travelled distances, or road distances, as
the crow flies ; and a distance of 6 or 7 miles, travelled to
a place without roads, and through among rice-fields, would
very likely be not more than 4 or 5 miles of direct distance,
if measured with the compasses on a map. But even at this
latter diminished distance I have not been able to find any
stupa to the north-east.

At the distance of 2| miles to the north-east from
Bhuila Dih, however, there is a place the name of which is
written “ Seekuree ” in the maps, but the real name of which
is SikhartB To the east side of the village there is a
small lake, and to the south side of the village there is
a large khera, or dih, old mound of ruins, which is full
of ancient bricks ; and on this ruined site there are the
remains of a small stupa, and close to the north-west side
of the ruined remains of the stupa there is a large and very
ancient bur tree, and a large pifal tree. 1 therefore believe this
to be the spot where Budddia sat to watch the labourers
in the field. And it is worthy of remark that, as' I stood
between the ruins of the small stupa and the great bur tree,
I found that I had an uninterrupted view over an immense
extent of bare fields, and I could have seen labourers at
work at the distance of half a mile.

This place “ is evidently an exceedingly ancient

site, and of equal antiquity with the great Dzh of Bhuila.
Prom the name of the place, SikhariB or “ Sikhiri,” could
it possibly have been the birthplace of “ Sikhi Buddha”
the second of the seven Buddhas ?

I may, however, mention that about 6 miles to the east-
north-east from Bhuila, close to the Kuano River, and about
a mile to the south-east of Mansurnagar, there is a village
called “ Siwaijot, ” and near this there is said to be a dihy or
mound of ruins, and to the east side of the dth there is
said to be the remains of a small stupa.

Again, at a village called “ Belua/^ and about a mile to
the west of Svwa ijot, there are two small mounds.

There is, however, also a well-marked mound of ruins at
the village of Gaur, about 6| miles to the east-north-east
from Bhuila.

>4

CENTRAL DOAB AND GORAKPUR IN 1874-75 & j87S'76. 1 77

19.— BIRTHPLACE OF KRAKUCHANDA.

** Krahuchandaj ” or ** Karkut Chanda^ ** was the fourth
of the seven Buddhas. He was born at a place in “ Uttara
KosaiUf '' the name of which is given by the Chinese traveller
Fa-Hian as Na^pi-ka'' or " Na-pi-kta which General
Cunningham has suggested may possibly be a Chinese equi-
valent for a Sanskrit “ Navika but I would rather suggest
** JVavkika/\me^mng central.

In certain Buddhist chronicles Sapta Buddha Siotra
however, quoted by General Cunningham in his Ancient
Geography of India from Remusat's “ Fo-kwe-kip the native
city of Krakuchanda is called " KshemavatiF or " Khema-
vati. ” But I think I shall be able to show that this was quite
a separate and distinct place, though only a little further off,
in the same part of the country ; and that it was the capital
of Raja Kshema of Mekhala, but not the birthplace of Kraku-
chanda. The Buddhist books of Ceylon ( as quoted by
General Cunningham, from Hardy’s Manual of Buddhism ” )
simply state Krakuchanda the purohit” or family
priest, of Raja Kshema of Mekhala / but they do not appear
to say anything whatever about Krakuchanda being born in
the capital city of Raja Kshema. I think, therefore, it will
be found that I am correct in my opinion that the “ Napikaj*
or Napikiaj* of Fa-Hian, was a totally distinct place from
Kshemavati.

But the worst, or most puzzling, feature of the case is,
that the two Chinese travellers differ diametrically in their
statements as to the position of the town in which Kraku-
chanda was born. They do not differ much as to the dis-
tance; but they differ entirely as to the direction, or the
points of the compass. Moreover, in one instance, even the
translators differ in the rendering of their translations.

According to the translation of the travels of Huen.
Thsang by M. Stanislas Julien, the birthplace of Krakti-
chanda, was situated 50 /f, or 8| miles, to the south from
'Kaptlavasiu, which by-the-bye would place it wrongly near
the ** Sara-kupa'' or “ arrow fountain^' and totally out of
the way of the route by which both of the Chinese travellers
came from Sravasti to Kapilavasiu ?

According to the account of Fa-Hian, the birthplace of
Krakuchanda was about one yojana, or 7 miles, distant,
in a westerly direction, from Kapilavasiu. But one translator,
VOL. XIL M

REPORT or TOURS IN THE

178

the Rev. S. Beal, makes the direction south-west ; while
another translator, Remusat, makes the direction north-west.
The following is BeaVs translation of the passage in question :

Leaving Sravasti at 12 yojans to south-east rcacli —
Na-pi-kia,V\x^\^\^cQ.o{ Krakitchanda. Going nortli from this place,
one yojan, reach town where Kanaka Muni was born. From tin's spot
going east, less than owe yojan, arrive at Kapiiavas/uJ'

Remiisat’s translation of the same passage has been
rendered by Laidlay as follows : —

“ From Saravasii, south-east, reach Na-pi-ka, birthplace of Kraku-
chanda, less than one yojan to south, birthplace of Kanaka Muni,
thence one yojan to east reach Kapilavastui ’

Now it will be seen, from a comparison of the two fore-
going quotations, that this discrepancy between the two trans-
lators makes a difference of about 16 miles, north and south,
for the position of the birthplace of Krahiichanda . For
BeaVs translation places it one yojan (or about 8 miles)
to the south of the birthplace of Kanaka Muni, while Re-
musat’ s translation places the birthplace of Krakuchunda
less than one yojana to the north of that of Kanaka
Muni.

The result of m}'’ own personal explorations on the spot
would tend to show that translation of the passage
was the correct one; and that the birthplace of Kraku-
chanda was really situated about 5-4^ miles to the north of
that of Kanaka Muni, and about 7^ miles to the north-west
from Bhuila, which I have identified as Kapilavasiu.

I beg to refer to the Indian Atlas Quarter Sheet No. 87,
on the line of 82 degrees 30 minutes longitude, by 26 de-
grees 58 minutes and 15 seconds latitude, 7^ miles to the
north-west from Bhuila Tal, and about three-quarters of a mile
to the south of a Village called “ Beerpur” (in the maps),
where there is a Tliana, and about one mile to the west-north-
west of a village called “ Charo as nearly as possible on the
spot thus indicated-, there is an old village called “ NagraR

This village of “ Nagra'' is situated on the eastern end
of a very large and pretty high mound of ruins, which is the
site' of an ancient city. On the southern part of this great
mound there are the ruined- remains of a demolished brick
stfipa, which, when I saw it, still preserved its circular outline,
but there was nothing but the base of it left. I believe
this to be the remains of the stupa mentioned by Huen
Thsang, which marked the spot where KrakucJiauda was
born, or where his father lived.

CENTRAL DOAB AND GORAKPUR IN 1874*73 & i87S*76- 1 79

The dih^ or great mound of ruins, wliicli was the site of
tli6 brick-built portion of the ancient to\vn, measured about
800 feet in length from east to west, by about 600 feet, and
upwards, from north to south. The small village of Nagra
is situated on the east-north-eastern end of the dih^ or great
mound.' Close to the north side of the village there is a
pond, or very small lake, from the eastern end of which a
channel runs, which communicates with the Charu Lake,
which lies about two-thirds of a mile to the westwards. On
the north-western corner of the dih^ or great mound, ther^
is also a small village, consisting of a few houses. On the
southern part of the great mound, and only 50 feet within
its southern edge, there are the remains of the base of a st6pa,
which appears to have been about 40 or 45 feet in diameter.
This I believe to be the site of the stupa which marked the
spot where the father of Krakuchanda lived.

About 1,100 feet to the west from the dth, or great mound
of the old town, there is an irregular- shaped tank or small
pond ; and on the western side of the latter there is a some-
what low or flattish mound, which is strewed with fragments
of brick and pottery. This mound measured about 55 feet
in length from north to south, by about 40 feet from east to
west.

Again, about 2,200 feet to the south from the dih there
is a' large square tank, and on the eastern edge of the tank
there is a high mound of earth ; and on a small square plat-
form on the top of this mound there are large red-clay figures

eleph&nts p}aced. Thts is called TA'afc ” by the

villagers. This tank, however, is said to be only about a
hundred and fifty years old.

Lastly, about 800 feet to the east-south-east from the
great mound of ruins, or dt/t, of Nagra, there is a very fine
large brick sthpa, which was still in a very perfect condition
when r saw it, and probably about 20 feet in height including
the' base or platform on which it stands. The actual per-
'pendicular height of the stupa, when last seen, was about 15
feet ; and the height of the sort of brick platform on which
it stands was nearly 5 feet. The diameter of the stdpa at
base was about 50 feet. It had even still some of the smooth
outer casing on its western side ; but the eastern side of the
stftpa had beert dug into, here and there, for bricks. This
sthpa had very much the shape of the third of an egg in-

* See Plate XU for a map of this site.

l8o -REPORT OF TOURS IN THE

verted, or like the semiconical-domed outline of a helmet.
There were a number of tall date-palm, or Khajur'^ trees,
growing on the top of the stupa. A raised platform of brick
extended out to the distance of about 40 feet from the south-
ern side of the base of the stupa ; and on this there was a
small, but distinct, square foundation of brick, with a hollow
in the centre of it, which had probably been the socket in
which a stone pillar had formerly stood, but which is now gone. _ '
This stupa stands on the western edge of a square tank ;
and a short distance to the north-east . of the tank there
is a small village called “ Khajurapur ^

Now the description which I have given of the position
and accompaniments of this stupa, exactly agrees with the
account given by Huen Thsang. For Huen Thsang states
that to the south-east of the town where- Krakuchanda was '
born, there was a second stupa of relics, with a stone pillar
standing near it, which was surmounted by a lion capital, and
on which was inscribed the history of the Nirvana of Kraku- -
chanda. This pillar was about 30 feet high, and it was.
erected by Asoka. As I have shown, the stupa is still -
there in the position indicated ; and although the pillar
is gone, yet the very spot on which it stood is still
distinguishable by a small square of bricks, with a hollow .
in the centre, which formed the socket of it. As the disturb-
ance of the bricks appeared to me to be comparatively
recent, I thought that the removal of the pillar could not
have taken place very long ago. ;But when I questioned
the people of the place about it, they pretended ignorance
and denied all knowledge of it.

This, however, is the invariable policy of the brutish, '
ignorant, ' and evil-disposed natives of - this part of the
country, who have, moreover, already destroyed some ancient
monuments since I have been here, simply because they knew
I wanted to preserve them ! I have already previously men-.
tioned that, during my stay at Bhuila, a petty zamindar'
utterly destroyed the stupa of Ai'chery which stood near the
village of Jaitapur, simply because he heard that I set value
upon it, and that I intended to open it. And the worst -of it
was, that I had just previously given him a present of three '
rupees for a stone which was found near the stupa. If the
Government does nothing to prevent it, I will venture to pro-
phesy that, in three years hence, there will not be a single
vestige left of the antiquities of Kapilavasiu ! For immediately
the natives have observed that ! have shown special attention

CENTRAL DOAB' AND GORAKPUR IN 1874-75 & 1875.76. 181

towards, or regard for, any particular monument or relic of
antiquity, they have immediately commenced to destroy it I
Thus, many remains that I have so lately seen with my own
eyes, and which are- the subject of the present report, may
not be in existence, or be looked for in vain, a few months
hence !

Huen Tlisang also mentions that at a little distance to
the south of the town there was another stOpa. I could
not find any brick stfipa to the south ; but there is a high
mound of earth at the east side of a large tank, about a
quarter of a mile to the south of the site of the town.

It may, perhaps, appear strange that, while I believe
that I have, without doubt, discovered the birthplace of
Krakuchanda^ yet that I have not up to the present time been
able to find any trace either of his name, or of that of NapU
kia^^ the name of the place in which he w'as bom, as given by
Fa-Hian. I thought at one time that 1 had found a trace
of the name of Krakuchanda at least ; for in tw o maps w’hich
1 have got, one in particular, published in 1861 by "John
Walker, Geographer to the Secretary of State for India,” there
is a village marked down with the name of “Kukoopoor”
(Kakupur) 6 miles to the north-w’est from Bhuila Tal, and only
a mile and a half to the south-east from “ Nagra,” w'hich 1 have
identified as the birthplace of Krakuchanda. But, although
I myself went to the exact spot indicated in the map, and
also searched everyw'here round about it, within a radius of 2
miles, I could not find any village of the name of Kukoopoor**
or “ Kakupur.” It is, therefore, all the more strange and remark-
able that only a mile and a half beyond the supposed posi-
tion of the “ Kukoopoor ” of the map I found the ancient village
and mound of ruins of ” Nagra'* with one stdpa still existing,
and the remains of another; and these, too, in the very
direction, and at the exact distance, indicated in Remusat’s
Translation of the Travels of Fa-Hian !

There is a village called “ Harkhupur ” (the ” Hurkhoo-
poor” of the maps) about 3 J miles to the east-south-east,
half east from Nagra, and about 4^ miles to the north-north-
west from Bhuilatal ; but there are no ancient remains there
at — ^least no stdpa — and no considerable traces of ancient
inhabitation, and, besides, the distance is far too little, and
the direction too northerly.

With regard to the name of ''Napikia ” given by Fa-Hian,
I have some suggestions to offer. It is well known that there
are many instances in India in which, if the name of some

J82

REPORT OF TOURS IN. THE

particular place is one of frequent occurrence, it is coupled
with the name of some other neighbouring place, for the sake
of- distinction. Now about 2 miles to the west of Nagra,
there is an ancient village called '"Patijia '''' (the ^'Patijea
Boozoorg ” of the maps) ; and again, about 2 miles to the
north-north-west of Nagra^ there* is another village also call-
ed (the Putijea Khooi'd^' of the maps). And

thus the name of ”Nagra ” might be coupled with that of
^^Patijia^'^ for the sake of distinction ; and I, therefore, think
that “ Nagar-Pitijia ” may have been the origin of the Na-pi-
kia'^ of Fa-Hian, which may possibly stand iox Nag^'-Pitijia
or (by contraction) Nar-ipijia !

At the same time, however, I think it is equally possible
that the ancient name of ^^Nagra ” may have been Napit
Nagara, which would mean “ barber’s town and hence
it would be an easy change from “Napit” to “Napik.”

Lastly, ^^KakuP in Hindi, means a father; and therefore the
Hindi Kaku,'' father, is equivalent to the Sanskrit ^'Piia,'^
a father ; and, consequently, Nagar Kdku would be equiva-
lent to Nagar Pita, which latter might be the origin of the
Na-pi-kia” of Fa-Hian.

20.— KHEMRAJPUR, OR KSHEMAVATI.

In the Buddhist books of Ceylon it is stated that
Krakuchanda Buddha had been the ' “Purohit,” or family
priest, of ^Naja Kshe7na^^ of MekhalaP But in the Bud-
dhist chronicles, ^Napla Buddha Stot7'a” quoted by Remu-
sat in '' Fo-kwe-kiP and referred to by General Cunningham
in his “ Ancient Geography of India,” the name of the city
is called 'Nshe77iavatip or “ Khe77iavatiP I had the good
fortune to find the actual site of this ancient city, the capital
of Raja Kshe77ia.

On_ a reference to quarter sheet No. 87 of the Indian
Atlas, it will be seen that in the northern part of Pa 7 ga 7 ia
A77iorha (District of Basti), at longitude 82 degrees 23
minutes, by latitude 26 degrees 56 minutes, ' 1 1 miles to
the north-east from the nearest part of the^ Ghagra River -
at Ajudhia (or from the Ramghat or Belwa Bazar opposite),
and 14 miles to the west-north-west from Bhuila Tdl,
there is a village marked down with the name, of Khe 77 i~
7'dj-poorp near the southern, end of a lake shaped like the
letter “T.” This village of "Khe77i-rdj-pur" is 8 miles dis-

!

CENTRAL DOAB AND GORAKPUR IN 1874.75 & 1875-76. 183

tant to the west-south-west from “ Nagra/' which I have
identified as the birthplace of Krakuchanda,

The present village of ^^Khevi-rdj^pur " is an old place,
and may probably be the remains of a suburb of the ancient
city of ”Kshe?navatt but it is not the actual site of the old
city. The main or principal part of the ancient city, or
probably the fortified citadel of /?q/a Kshema, was situated
between the villages of and ^'Asojpitr,'^ at the eastern

end of the lake, a mile and a half to the north-east of the
village of Khem-rdj-pitr. Here there is a large mound of
ruins, with apparently, also, the remains of a demolished
stiipa near it. This I believe to be the site of the citadel
and palace of Rdja Kshetna; and I believe that it must have
been on this very spot that Krakuchanda acted as family
priest to Raja Kshema.

As Krakuchanda was the fourth of seven Buddhas, and
the third preceding Sakya Sinha, — if we allow a lapse of
about five hundred years between each Buddha, — Kraku-
chanda, and his friend Raja Kshema, must have lived some
' two thousand years before the Christian era ! This carries us‘
back to an enormously ancient period of Indian history', and
it gives an enormous antiquity to Buddhis?n I This calcula-
tion, coupled with the discovery of the actual site of the
ancient city of Kshemavati, where Krakuchanda Buddha
walked and talked with Raja Ksheiyta, only proves the truth
of the opinion which I have always held in opposition to the
maiority — namely, that Buddhism' was much older than
the Brahmanical system ; and that the Brahmanical system
proper never had any existence until after the commencement
of the Christian era. The Brahmanical system is simply found-
ed on lies, — on a garbled distortion of history, and upon a
falsification of the historical dates and data preserved by the
Jains and Buddhists. There is not a single Brahmanical
temple, nor a single brahmanical inscription, to be found, so
ancient as the Bhilsa and Kapilavastu stdpas, the really
Buddhist temple at Budh Gaya, or the edicts of Asoka, or
even the ancient Jain sculptures and inscriptions discovered
. 2X Mathura. Four, at least, of the “seven Buddhas,” have now
been proved, beyond doubt, to have actually lived, — namely,
Krakuchanda, Kanaka Muni, KAsyapa, and Sakya Sinha I
, But, to return again to “ Khenurdj-pur^' the mound of
ruins, before mentioned, between the villages of Peer and

> I mean, of course, ancient or original. Buddhism, and not merely the
system as it was modified by Sakya Mum.

REPORT OF TOURS IN THE

184

Asojpur, are not the only remains of the ancient city of
Kshemavati for both Peer and Asojpur are themselves
situated on the debris of more ancient inhabitation. The
fact is, that the ancient city of Kshemavati, with its suburbs,
probably extended around the whole northern, eastern, and
southern sides of the lake.

But, while Kshejnavati was the capital city of Raja
Kshema, we have already seen, from the Buddhist records of
Ceylon, that the name of his country, or kingdom, was
^'MekhalaP Now, I believe that I have been able to dis-
cover an existing remembrance of this ancient name, preserv-
ed in the names of two villages, situated only a short dis-
tance to the south of Khem-rdj-fur, and both of which are
called Maghanroan.” ^ y

■ The Manora^ or Manurdma rher^ flows to the west and
south of Khetn-raj-pur. Four miles and a half to the south-
south-east from Khem-raj -pur ^ and on the north -bank of the
Manora River, there is a village, the name of which is spelt
Mug hanwan " in the maps; and, again, 4-| miles nearly due
south (or the very least shade west of south) from Khein-
rdj-pur and on the south bank of the Manora River, there
is another village, the name of which is spelt Mugh-gan-
wan” in the maps. These two villages are only 2 miles
apart, and they lie east and west from each other. The
correct form of the name appears to be either Mdghanwa*'
or Mdgh-gad 7 ion“ (for Mdgha-grdma?'). They would
appear to be ancient sites, probably of coeval antiquity with
Khem-rdj-pur. ^ ^izniu

Now, I believe' that the names jk2'(32f;4ese two villages are
simply a local dialectic Hindi corriT (;of Maghdgrd 7 ua”
which would mean the habitation of ^\^.ople called Mdghs'^^
and I believe that these ” Mdgln'^ were the people of
'^Mekhala and that consequently rhe “ Mekhala ” of the
Buddhist ch' 07 iicles of Ceylon was simply a Pali corruption
of the Sanskrit Mdgh-laya, which would mean the abode
of Mdghs.

From the whole of the foregoing exposition, I think it will
appear pretty certain that I have discovered both Kshema^
vati*^ and " Mekhala P

21.— BIRTHPLACE OF KANAKA MUNI.

According to Fa-Hian, as translated by Remusat, the
birthplace of Kanaka Muni was situated less than one yojan

CENTRAL DOAB AND GORAKPUR IN 1874-75 1875.76. 185

to the south from the birthplace of Krakuchanda, and one
yojan to the west from Kapilavasiu. In the Ceylonese
chronicles, thebirthpl;ice of Kanaka Muni is named ^^Sohha-
vafi-nagara."

Now, about 4^ miles nearly due south from “Nagra,”
which I have identified as the birthplace of Krakuchanda,
there is a village called Kartakapar** Kunuk poor** of

the maps); and only three-quarters of a mile to the south-
south-east from ** Kanakpur/' there is a large ancient mound
of ruins, called ’^Kopoa*’ or ** Khopoa Dih/’ or ** Khopawa
Dill/' and sometimes ** Khoh-xa Dili/* This I have identi-
fied nath Sobhavati Nagara/* the birthplace of Kanaka
Muni, which is confirmed by the name of the neighbouring
village, ^'Kanakpur/* Kliopaica** qx Khohixa, is evidently
a corruption of **Sobhava/' This ancient site, **Khopoa
Dill," is situated about 5^ milcs^ due south, from *'Napara/*
which I have identified as the birthplace of Krakuchanda,
and on the same line of 82 degrees 30 minutes longitude,
and 6 miles direct due west from Bhiiila, uhich I have
identified with Kapilavastu.

The great mound of ruins, or dih of Khopoa, is situated on
the northern side of a lake, one-half of which lies cast and west,
and then it turns round, from the cast, southward for its
remaining half. This lake has an extent of about half a mile
from east to west, and a little less from north 10 south. At
the eastern end of the “////;,” or great mound, there is a very
small village, which bears the name of Khopoa and about
bjaJJf a. mile, to the soatb. at the. litAcr there Is. ametber xUbig/i.
called ** Bidiyapur;* (the ** Beedeepoor** of the maps).

Huen Thsang states that there were three stdpas, and a
pillar, at the birthplace of Kanaka ^funi^, namely — (i.) A
stfipa of relics; and a pillar wfth a lion capital, 20 feet
high, on which was inscribed the history of the Nirodna of
Kanaka Muni. This stfipa and pillar would appear to have
been situated to the northwards of the town. (2.) There was
another stfipa to the north-east of the town, which was erect-
ed on the spot where Kanaka Muni is said to have converted
his father. (3.) Apparently either at the centre of the town, or
in the town, there was a stfipa which marked the place rvhere
Kanaka Mu?ti was born.

Sohhavati Nagara is said to have been a large ancient
town.

, My own explorations have elicited the following results :
"Kopoa Dih," or the great mound of ruins of Kopoa, has an

i86

REPORT OF TOURS IN THE

extent of about 740 feet from north to south, by about 740
feet from east to west. As I before stated, it is situated on
the northern bank of a pretty large lake. On^ the middle 'of
the western half of this great mound of ruins, there is a
pretty large and high tumulus of brick, with a large peepul
tree growing on the top of it; and this I believe 'to be the
ruined remains of a stupa. Again, a few feet to the south
of this, there is another tumulus of brick, which has a very
circular outline, and which, I think, are probably the remains
of a stupa. Either of these two brick tumuli may mark the
spot where Kanaka Muni was born. Two hundred and
twelve feet, nearly due north, from the great of

Kopoa^ there is a mound of brick ruins, which measured about
230 feet in length from east to west, by upwards of 100 feet
from north to south. I believe this to be probably the site
of the relic stupa mentioned by Huen Thsang. And about
300 feet to the east of the last-named mound, across a
nalla, there is another but much smaller mound, containing
bricks, which may, perhaps, be the site of the “pillar,” which
would appear to have stood near the relic stdpa, as far
as I can judge from the indications afforded by Huen
Thsang.

About 800 feet to the north-east from the great 'V///,”
or site of the town, and beyond a broad nalla, or water chan-
nel, there is a mound of brick ruins, and also a tank to the
east side of it. This mound I believe to be the site of^ the
second stupa to the north-east, mentioned b)’’ Huen Thsang;
Five hundred feet further on, to the north-east, there is
another tank, with a small mound on the' further side
of it.

The village of Kopoa is situated close to, or adjoining, the
eastern side of the great dih. A nalla, or broad water chan-
nel, comes from the north-west, and runs close to the north-
east edge of the dih, then passes to the north and east of
the village of Kopoa, and eventually joins the Rawai River,
3 miles to the east from Kopoa.

Again, about 700 feet to the south-east from the great
dih, there is a low mound of brick ruins. . This might pos-
sibly ^ be the site of a fourth stupa, or of some vihara not
mentioned by Huen Thsang.

Lastly, about 600 feet to the west from the dih there is
a tank, and also a small low, square-shaped mound of brick
ruins, on which red-clay figures of elephants are placed,
and which is called "Same Maika Than:’ About a hundred

CENTRAL DOAB AND GORAICPUR IN 1874-75 & >875*76. 1 87

feet further on to the west, the foundations of some long-
shaped brick building are traceable.

It may be of interest here also to mention that the
ancient bricks found at Kopoa Dili are of very large size. One
of them measured 1 foot 8 inches in length, by 9 inches
in breadth and 3| inches in thickness.

22.— SARA-KUPA, OR "ARROW-WELL. »

I have pre\iously referred to the Buddhist tradition that
Prince Siddhdrtha, or Sdkya^ contended with the other
SAkyas in archery ^ &c.; and that from a spot at the south
of the town of Kapilavasiu,^ he shot an arroiv from a bow,
which fell at a spot which Huen Thsang places at the dis-
tance of 30 //, or 5 miles, to the south-east ; while Fa-
Hian places it at the same distance to the south-west. A
stiipa was erected on the spot from which the Prince shot the "
arrow; and another stfipa was erected on the spot ^\here the
arrow is said to have fallen ; and as a spring of water is said
to have gushed out where the arrow struck the ground, it
was called the Sara^kupa^^ or‘‘/frroa» Well.*'

I have already identified the stupa of archery, marking
the spot from which the arrow was shot, with a large stdpa
w’hich stood on the western bank of the Bhuila Lake, and
between it and the village of Jaitapur, about 2,050 feet to the
south-east from the great dih of the citadel of Bhuila ; but
this stfipa was nearly totally destroyed by a zamindar while
1 was at Bhuila. It w*ould appear that the distance of Sara^
ktipa was calculated from this stflpa.

Now, at the distance stated of 30 //, or 5 miles, to
the south-west, there is an old village called Purainaf*
and to the south of that there is a small lake, and at the east
end of the lake there is a place called "i?/////,” which
is situate close to the north of a village called " Kanraku
pnr** (“ the Kundrukpoor” of the map^,and to the south of
a village marked as " Bhcncc Misser" in the maps. Ai Bhiii
there is a small mound of ruins ; and to the west of Bhitif
and north of Kanrakptir^ there is a curious hole in the
ground.

Again, if we try a south-easterly direction, at 5 miles
to the south-east from Bhuila dihy there is a village called
Gtirsara/* the ** Goorsura"' of the maps; but there is no
trace of any stupa, or any mound of ruins, at this place.
There is, however, a small dih, or small mound of ruins,

i88

' REPORT OF TOURS IN THE

about a mile and a half to the south of it, and not far from
two villages, one of which is called Abhuipur” the “ Ubaie^
pur'' of the maps), and the other '' Bhitia," which lie about
a mile apart, north and south of one another.

But neither of the places indicated, neither that to the
south-east, nor that to the south-west, appeared to me in
any way to answer to the " Sa7‘a~kupa,'^ with its stupa.

I believe, however, that I have found the real Sara-kupUj
and the remains of its stupa, at a place called “ SarkuJiiya
(the“ Surkhoeea” of the maps), about 4v miles to the south-
south-east from Bhuila-dih, and 4-^ miles nearly due south
from the “ Stupa of Archery.” This, however, is only the
direct distance as measured on the map ; but in travelling
distance, or in walking, it is really fully 5 miles. Therefore,
both in its name and in its distance, and as nearly as pos-
sible in its position, Sarkiihiya" corresponds to the
” Sarakupa." I shall now be able to show that it also cor-
responds in every other particular.

“ Sarkuhiya " is situated about half a mile from the right
or west bank of the Raivai River, and about half a mile to
the north-west of a large village called Ratanpur" (the
Ruttonpoor" of the maps). Sarkuhiya and the

Rawai River there, is an old tank ; and from the north-east side
of the tank, a nalla, or water channel, runs into the Raivai. '
To the south of the nulla, and on the east side of the old
tank, there are two moderate sized tumuli of brick ruins,
which lie north and south of one another. The northern one
is a bare tumulus of brick, with a stone lingam on the top of
it ; and I believe this to be the remains of a stupa, which
marked the spot where the ■ arrow of Pidnce Siddhdi'tha
{Buddha ) struck the ground ; .and I believe the old tank,
with the nalla running out of it, to represent the spring
(or fountain of water, which is said to have broken forth at
the stroke of the arrow. There is an old well in the village
of Sarkuhiya, but I do not think that it can be what is refer-
red to.

The other more southerly tumulus, of broken bricks (which
is near the former), is surmounted by a stone lingam ; and it
has a banian tree growing on the top of it.

I think it will appear, from what I have said on this sub- .
ject, that it is pretty certain that Sar-kuhiya actually repre-
sents the ” Sarakupa for Sar-kuhiya would be the regular
modern provincial dialectic equivalent for the Sanskrit Sara-
kupa.

CENTRAL DOAB AND GORAKPUR IN 1874-75 & 1875-76. 1 89

23.— RIVER OF OIL AND LUMBINI GARDEN.

Before attempting to indicate the position of the Lumhini
Garden it will be necessary, first, to identify a small river,
or stream, called the River of Oil/" on the banks of which
the Lumbini Garden is said to have been situated.

On looking at quarter sheet No. 87, N.E., of the Indian
Atlas, it will be seen that about 8 miles to the west-north-
west from the town of Basti there is a large village called
** Hardi/" Again, about 3 miles due north ixom Hardi, there
is a pretty large village marked as Sheixpoorf in the
maps, but the correct name of which would be "Shiv-puraf"
About three-quarters of a mile to the south of Shewpur there
is a narrow, long-shaped lake, or jheel, called the ^^Ttnchhwa
Tali' which lies in a north-west by south-easterly position.
From the south-east end of this lake, a small stream or water-
course issues, which is called the '^Gadi Nala/" (which
means ‘ the turbid stream ’) ; but this stream in reality only pass-
es through the lake, or the lake is a mere enlargement of it,
as it rises from a source further west, namely, from the Chapar-
talla TM, near two other lakes, one called the Bfirhap&ra TAl,
and the other the Aila Tdl** This '^Gddi Nala^' runs due
southwards, until it reaches Hardi, where it becomes the '‘Maj^
hora River f which latter, a mile below. Hardi, turns eastwards,
flowing to the north of Ganeshpur, and finally joins the Kudno
or ATwcm River, opposite to a place marked as '^Doorkha"
in the maps. Our Indian mappists, or geographers, have
made a coalnsioa between the {wrong]y speh

Mutchora ” in the maps) and the Rawai rivers. But the
Rawai river really runs to the south of Ganeshpur, and
joins the Kudno river miles below the junction of the

Majhora! The Majhora is quite distinct from the Ravoai^
although, when it overflows during the rains, the Majhora
sometimes breaks through in a south-westerly direction, past
a place called Kalra Buzurg/ and thus makes a temporary
cross junction with the Rawai, The Majhora river really
rises partly from the ^^Aila Tdlf and partly from the second
Chapartalla Tdl, 3 miles to the north-west of “Hardi;”
and during heavy floods in the rainy season the Aghea
Tal, which is a feeder -of, and lies close to, the west of the
Bhuila Tal, becomes connected with the Pindari Tdl, or the
jheel which lies close to the west of Pindari Dih, and the water
from which latter runs into a small lake or pond called “ Chota
CKapartallaT and which I have distinguished by the name

190

REPORT OF TOURS IN THE

of the first Chapartalla Tdl, as there is another lake of
the same name. From this the water runs partly into the
second Chapartalla Tdl^ but mostly into the Alia Tdl. From
the Alia Tdl the water runs east-north-eastwards into the
Bua Tdl, and from thence a nalla, or water channel, runs
north-eastwards into the TinchJnva, or Tilchnan Tdl, or Gadi
Nalla, which runs southwards to Hardi, where it becomes
the Majhora River.

Now I have identified the Majhora river, and the Gddi
and Dhabrdwa Nala, together along with their feeders, the
Bua Nala, and the Bairahwa Nala, with the River of Oil”
of the Buddhist traditions. The name of the Majhora'^
river may also be spelt Majhdimra ; and I believe this to be a
corruption of the Sanskrit Mrakshd-vari,'^ meaning “oily
water,” or of the Sanskrit Mranshd-varan^' meaning “ of an
oily colour as this would in time, in the local dialect, most
certainly become corrupted to Machlid-ivara,” from which
would naturally arise the present vulgar pronunciation of
Majhawara,” or “Majhora.” But I have also ascertained,
by careful personal exploration, that the Dochuan Nala, the
“ Gdrdi Nalaj and the Majhora, which name it assumes at
Hardi, are all three together simply the remains of an
ancient bed of ^^Rawai, or Rohwai,” which must originally
have flown through the Bhuila Tdl. And we thus see why
and how it was that Kapilavastu was said to be situated on
or near the Rohini river. I believe, therefore, that when the
old Rawai, or Rolvwai, flowed in this direction, it was called
the '‘^Rohini ; ” and that the modern name of the modern river
called the Rawai,” Rowai” or Rolmaip is simply a cor-
ruption or contraction of Rohini,” which was originally
applied to the ancient and now forsaken bed of the river.
Indeed, some of the villagers still call the river '' Rohwaini.”
The change in the upper course of the Rawai was evidently
partly caused by numerous bandhs or dams, which were from
time to time thrown across the upper or north-western
part of the course of the river, in several places to the west
of Bhuila, several of which still exist, and which eventually
diverted it from a south-eastern into a southern direction.

But when the main channel of the Rohini became finally
entirely diverted from its original south-eastern course, and
only a small turbid, brown-coloured, oily-looking stream,
remained in its ancient bed, it was then, no doubt, that it got
the names of the “ Gddi,” and Dhabrdwa,” meaning “turbid,”
and Mrakshd-vari,” or Mraksho-varan, meaning an “oily-

CENTRAL DOAB AND GORAKPUR IN 1874-75 Sc 1875.76 19I

looking stream,” the ” River of Oil,” of the Buddhist chroni-
cles. For Huen Thsang states that a small stream flowed
in a south-easterly direction, either past or near the Lumbini
Garden j and that this stream was aftersvards called the
River of Oil.” Now it will be seen that the Nala flows
in a south-easterljr direction, immediately to the south of
SheTvpnrj and that it only aftenvards takes a turn south-
wards, towards Hardi (the Hurdee of the maps). And, in
like manner, the general course of the Majhora river^ from
Hardi to its junction with the Kvatto, or Ktiani river is in a
south-easterly direction.

But from the Buddhist chronicles it would appear that
the Rohini river flowed to the east of Kapiiavastu, and be-
tween it and the town of Kolij or Vy&^hrapitra, the birthplace
of Mdyd Devi; and that the Lumbini Garden was also in
the same position, between the tw'o cities, about 8 miles to
the east from Kapilavastu. And it is also said that the in-
habitants of Kapilavastu and Koli quarrelled about the distri-
bution of the waters of the Rohini river ^ for the respective
rice-fields. It is evident, therefore, that the Rohini river can-
not have been far from, but was probably pretty near to, the
city of Kapilavastu; and that it consequently probably flowed
in the very direction of the present ^^Dochhan Nala^^ and of
the “ Gadi Nala^'' below Sheivpur.

Lastly, it is stated that an “embankment” was thrown
across the Rohini river ^ which enabled the people of both
Kapilavastu and Koli to obtain a supply of ivater for their
rice-fields. Now 2 miles to the w'est-half-wcst-south-west
from Shcmpiir^ and 3^ miles to the east-half east-south-
east from the east bank of the great lake of Bhuila Tal^
there is a village called ” Btirhapdra^* which is wrongly
spelt *' Boorhapoor^' in the maps. This village is situated
about 1,000 feet east-south-eastwards from the eastern
end of a long norrow', marshy lake, into the western end of
which the Dochitan Nala runs, which comes from the Bhuila
Tdl, In fact, what is called the Burhapdra Tdl, or rather
the narrow, long-shaped, marshy jheel near Burhapdra^ is
simply a widening of the DSchtidn Nala, caused by a dam.
For there is an ancient bdndh, or dam, or embankment, about
700 feet in length, which runs right across this enlargement
of the Ddehudn Nala, which goes by the name of the Bnrha*
pdra Tdl. Here, then, apparently we have the veritable
dam, or embankment, which the Buddhist chronicles tell us
was thrown across the Rohini river in ancient times. But

192 REPORT OF TOURS IN THE

this small watercourse has two branches, one of which runs
to the north-east, and the other to the south ; and the bdndh^
or dam^ is just exactly upon the spot at or from which these
two branches diverge.^

In order to explain this properly, however, I shall have
now to describe the old course of this now small water-
course, but originally ancient bed of the Rolmii, from its very
source.

To the west of Bhuila^ an old bed of the Rawai, or
Rohivai river, comes from the west-north-west, and runs into
a large, shallow, marshy lake, called the Aghea Tdl, which
lies close to the west of Bluiila, near the village of Aghea,
which latter village is situated about 3,600 feet to the south-
west from Bhuila Dih.

I have already pointed out that from the southern end
of the Aghea Jdl, during the rains, the surplus water finds
its way in a south-easterly direction into the Pinddri Tdl, or
the jheel which lies to the west of Pinddri Dih ; and that
from’ thence it runs eastwards into the Aila Tdl, from which
a.nalla, or channel, runs east-north-eastwards into Baa
Tdl; and that a nalla runs from the Bna Tdl north-eastwards
into the Tilchlma Tdl, from which the Gddi Nala issues,
which runs southwards to Hardi, where it becomes the
Majhora river.

But to- start again with the Aghea Tdl. From the south-
eastern corner of the Aghea Tdl, a shallow channel runs
round eastwards and northwards into the small Naka Tdl,
which lies close to the south-south -west corner of Bhuila
Dih. From the Naka Tdl, a nalla, or water channel, runs
eastwards into the great lake of Bhuila. From the eastern
end of the great lake of Bhuila, a channel, called the
Dochudn Nala, issues, and runs thence eastwards. At a short
distance to the east from the Bhuila Tdl, and to the south of
Ranipur Dih, this nalla, or channel, divides into two branches.
Of these, one channel runs close to the north of Tendua
Bazar, and from thence to the south of Karjna. The other
branch runs close to Prds Dih and to the south of Chaksohi.
About half a mile to the east of Kar77ia, and about a mile
and a quarter to the west of B^irhapdr, the two channels-again
unite into one and form a single river bed of considerable
size.^ To the south of Kesarai the channel begins to widen

* This union, or amalgamation, into one well-marked channel, takes place at
the eastern end of a somewhat flattish mound called Kdpari or Kapuli, or Kapili

CENTRAL DOAB AND GORAKPUR IN t874‘75 & 1 93

out, and becomes a sort of long, narrow lake bed, or jhccl,
of irregular breadth ; but narrow across from north to south,
and long from east to west. About 1,000 feet to the
west of Bitrhapar Dih^X\\\s widening of the channel is crossed
by a bdtidhj or dam, which is about 700 feet in length; of
which about 600 feet runs nearly north and south, and about
100 feet of it turns south-wesDvards. This hdndh^ or dam,,
is from 30 to 45 feet in breadth at its broadest part, and
from to to 15 feet in breadth at its narrowest part.

This dam, or embankment, I consider to be the one
referred to in the Buddhist chronicles, which is said to have
been constnicted across ^\v:.Rohim river ^ between Kntilavtntu
and Vydghrapura^ and b^' which the water required for irriga-
tional purposes was retained for distribution among the fields
of the people of AVr/iVarnsrii and Vydghrapura^ or Koli,
respectively. And it must Iiave been at this very em-
bankment that the people of the two cities came to quarrel
about their respective rights to the use of the water,
when Sakya Afuui arrived on the spot and settled the matter
amicably

But the construction of a dam across the river bed
caused a change, or divergence, in its course ; and it caused
it to divide, or split, into two separate off-sets or branches.
One of these two channels runs from the dam in a north-
easterly direction ; and, after a course of about 3J miles it
falls into the Kudno river^ about 2 miles to the south-east
of Mamurnagar. The other branch originally ran south-
eastwards (or, first, a short distance southwards, and then
eastwards) into the small Baherd-xa Tdl. This is, how-
ever, now met half-way by another nalla which has been
cut northwards from the Chapnrtalla Tdl, close past the
east side of Hardiya Dih ; so that contrary' currents meet
half-way in this amalgamated channel, — one current coming
southwards, from ^Dochuan Ndla at the north end, and
the other current coming northwards, from the ChapartalUi
Tdl, at the south end. From the Chapartalla Tdl a channel
runs north -north-eastwards into the small Batrdhxa, or Bahe-
rixa, or Baherdxa Tdl, which is only about 300 feet in length
from east to west, by about 250 feet from north to south.
But botli the Chapartalla Tdl and the Baherixa Tdl become
quite dry during the hot season. The Chapartalla Tdl lies
close on the south of Hardiya Dih f while the smziW Baherimi
Tdl lies at the distance of about 700 feet to the south of
Burhapar Dih, The name of the small Daherixa, or Bahe-

VOL XII N

194

REPORT OF TOURS IN THE

rdi<oa Tdl^ is said to have been derived from a large ancient
Bahera tree which formerly stood on its banks.

At the distance of about 650 feet to the south-south-east
from Burhapar Dih, a very distinct and well-marked water-
channel, or broad nalla, issues from the Baherhva Tdl, and
runs first east, then east-north-east, and lastly north-east,
until it unites, or forms a junction, with the water-channel
which comes from the Bna Tdl, at the distance of about
5,600 feet to the east of Burhapar Dili, and close to the
north-north-east of a village called Kliusrup^ir. From this
point one large channel runs northwards to the west end of
the Tilchwa^ or Ttlchuan Tdl, a long lake bed which lies to
the north and north-east and east of the village of Tilclnva.
Here the channel is called the “ Tilchuaii SohiB The correct
name is which means “ Oil-oozivg/^ and in which

we find the remembrance of the River of Oil/^ of the
Buddhist chronicles, preserved ; as well as in the name of
ih.Q Majhoran river (the Mrakshd-varaii) which rises

from the Tilchuan Tdl.

From the south-eastern end of the Tilchuan Tdl, close to
the village of Sandih, the Giidi Nala issues, and runs south-
wards, for a distance of about 2 miles, to Hardi (the
Hurdee" of the maps), where it assumes the name of
“ Majhorani’ From Hardi the Majhoran river runs first
south-eastwards and southwards for about a mile, and then
runs eastwards for about 3-|- miles, until it joins the Knano
river, opposite to the village of Durkha (the Doorkha^^ of
the maps).

I .have, however, managed to ascertain that the whole of
this concatenation of channels, including the Gadi Nala\ the
' Tilchuan Sohi, the BuaNala, and Bahei’iwa or Baherdiva
Nala, from their first issue out of the Bua Tdl and Baherawa
Tdl, was all originally called the “ Afaj'horan.” This, there-
fore, is the Mr akshd-varii' or Mr akshd-var an,” ox " River
of Oil,’’ of the Buddhist Chronicles.

On the other hand, the other branch, or channel, first
previously described, which runs to the north-east from the
dam of the Dochudn Ndla at the Burhapar Tdl, and which_
joins the Kudno I'iver 2 miles to the south-east of Mansur ~
nagar, — this branch I would identify with the " Rohini river,”
in a local or restricted sense ; although as I have previous-
Iv explained, I believe the ” Rohini” to be simply the old
and correct name of the ancient bed or original course of the
Rawai, or Rolvmai river, which is now represented, col-

CENTRAL DOAB AND GORAKPUR IN 187475 S. 187576 I95

lecti\ ely, by the Dochuan Nala, the Gadi Nala^ and the Majhoia
Nadt And I may here mention that some of the villagers still
occasionally call the Rohwai ri\ er by the familiar name of “ Roh^
Toatnt ” ^vhlch is virtually the same as Rohtni As I have shown
previously, in the introductory portion of this Report, the name
of the “ ” simply means “ the brown-coloured ruer,”

and It IS, therefore, s)nonjmouswith MraKshd-varan^*
would mean “of an oily colour,” and U is also synonymous
with Afl/r/c” or Kapili^ which means “ brown

Thus the D 6 chfian N ala portion of the /?£>//;;» served for
the irngation of the nce-fields belonging to the people of
Kapxlavasiu {Bhmld)y while the Gadt Nala portion of the
Rohtnt served for the irrigation of the rice-ficlds belonging to
the people of Vydghrapura^ or Koh

As, therefore, I think 1 hive succeeded, with tolerable
certainty, in my identification of both the Roinnt mer and the
River of Otlf it v\ill be easy for us to find the ^'Liunbtni
Gardenf which was situated near the bank of the last men-
tioned stream , and it will be less difficult for us, thereafter, to
discover the site of the town of Kolt, or Vydgln apua, which
IS said to have been situated a little beyond, or to the east of
the Luinbtni Garden

According to Fa-Hian, the Lumbini Garden was situated
at the distance of 50 //, or about 8 miles, to the east from
Kapilavastu According to Huen Thsang, the garden m
question was situated 80 or 90 /?, or from 13 to i 5 miles, to
the north east from the Sata-Kupa^ and on the banks of the
“ River of Oil but, from the position which Hucn Thsang
assigned to the Sara lupa, the distance from it to the Linn-
bim Garden could not possibly have been more than 6 or 7
miles, as General Cunningham has shown Now, I have al-
ready identified \\\q Sara-Litpa SarLiiJii\af which is

situated between 4 and 5 miles to the south half south,
south east, from Bhnila Dilt^ the proposed site of the city of
Kapilavastu I have, also, already identified the “ River of
Oilf on which the Luinhini Gaiden was situated, with the
Bairalvwa Nala, the Gadi Nala, and the upper part of the
Majhora close to the south of Shiwpur, and I have

also other reasons for believ mg that the Lumbtm Garden
was situated near Shiwpur The distance from Sarktihi^a

' It IS remarkable that there is a small ancient dth, or mound of rums, called
" K&pari,” or Knpuli ’ or * Kapih Dih ’* which is situated on the Dochi in
Nah about 3 miles to the east of Bhuila and about < 3 , 600 feet to the west of
Burlnpdr Dih

196 REPORT OF TOURS IN THE

to Shiivpnr^ measured direct, on the map, is nearly 6 }j
miles, which agrees with the inference of “6 or 7 miles,”
drawn by General Cunningham from the cmplacemeni
of the Sara-hUpn by Huen Thsang. The distance of Shnvpitr
from Bhuila Dili (or Kapilavastu) is nearly 7 miles direct,
but in travelling I myself found it to be fully 8 miles,
which agrees, as nearly as possible, with the distance of the
Liimhini Garden from Kapilavastu, as given by Im-Hian. It
agrees also in position, as Shiwpur lies to the cast from
Bhuila, in like manner as the Lumbini Garden lay to the east
from Kapilavastu.

In the Ceylonese Buddhist chronicles, the Lumbini Garden
is called a “garden of sdl trees,’’ it must, therefore, have
been of considerable extent; and I shall presently be
able to show that, in the very locality which I have indicated
{i.c., the neighbourhood of Shiupur), there was formerly
actually a forest of sal trees.

Huen Thsang calls this garden " La-fa-ni,” while Fa-
Hian calls it “ Lun-ming.”' But, according to the Ceylonese
chronicles (as quoted in the “ Ancient Geography of India,”
page 416), the garden was called “Lumbini ; ” and General
Cunningham has informed me that it was so named by
Suprahuddlia, the father of MAyfi Devi, after his own wife,
whose name was “ Lumbini.”* Her name might thus be
derived from “ lum-veui,” which would mean “ braided hair
tied up in a knot behind and “ lavaiiveni” or “ lun~bcnil*
would mean “ beautiful braided hair.”*

In most of the Buddhist chronicles it is stated that it was
a garden of sal trees ; and all accounts agree in stating that
it was under a sal tree that Buddha was born. Now, it is
difficult to imagine such a tiling as a mere garden of sal trees.
There might be a grove or clump of'^nV trees, or a plantation
of sal trees, or a forest of sal trees ; but the word “ garden ”
is not applicable to anything of the kind, — unless one could call
the New Forest in England, a garden, or unless one could
speak also of a garden of teak trees, or a garden of oak trees,
or a garden of hr trees, or a garden of beech trees, which
would sound somewhat strange and absurd, at least to the ears
of Europeans. It is well known that in the present da)% in

1 I have, however, a strong suspicion that the r.a.fa-ni and Lun-ming of the
Chinese travellers, and the Lumbini of the Ce3'lonese chronicles, are simpi}’ corrup-
tions of the Sanskrit lavavveiii, or the Hindi on-hem, from lavmt or Ion, “salt**
and veni, “a sangham or confluence of two rivers,*’ as the Baherawa channel,
which runs to the south-east of BurhapUr, forms a junction with the Bua Nala in a
saline river plain.

CENTRAL DO An AND GORARPUR IN i 574 * 7 S A' 1875.76. 197

India, the terms “ bdgh ” and “ haghich!' which f)ropcrly mean
a “garden”, arc applied indiscriminately to all kinds of things
which are not gardens. I sec now here before and around me,
as 1 sit writing, numerous clumps, or groves, or assemblages,
of large trees, of various c-xtents, in different directions, each
of which is called a “ bngh*^ or “ baghich^^ or haghi^ca" mean-
ing “ a garden.” These groves of trees vary in extent from an
eighth of a mile to one mile, and even more ; and the trees
are of various species, only two of which species could be
called fruil-beanng trees. One of these so-called “gardens”
is simply a random mWtpre of various kinds of common trees,
not one of which bears any edible fruit ; another is a mixture
of bamboo trees with other different kinds ; another is
simply a patch of original forest, including “sAkliu” trees, that
has been left isolated, near a modem village, in a clearance
made by Mr. Cooke ; another is a large grove of mango trees ;
another is a grove principally of mahua trees — the remnant of
an original forest. Yet all these arc absurdly and indiscrimi-
nately called “ bdgli,'' or “ gardens 1 " And I expect that this
loose application of the terms for a " garden ” was much the
same in ancient as in modem times.

From the gist of the preceding remarks we may easily
imagine what was the real nature of the “ garden of sdi trees
called Lumbini ;” and that it was simply a forest) it may be, a
choice forest (of sal trees, and neither more nor less I And
this is what I wish particularly to impress upon those who
may read this Report,— that what is referred to, what we have
to do with, and what wc have to look for, is a sdl forest,
antf fiat a mere ^^gartfen /”

I have thought it necessary to make these preliminary re-
marks, bcc.ause it is of the utmost importance that we should
understand clearly what wc ought to expect, and the real
nature of that which we are in search of. And the object of
these remarks will become the more apparent when I state
that I believe that I have discovered tne actual locality of
the ancient s&l forest, and that a considertable portion of this
sAl forest was still in existence up to the time of the Mutiny
in 18^7 *, and, moreover, that an old servant of mine, who is
a native of that very part of the country, and lived tvithin
two miles of the sAl forest, had himself in his younger days,
helped to cut sM timber there !

The following appears to have been, as near as possible,
the position and extent of what remained of this sM forest,
say about the year 1855, or a year or two previous to the

REPORT OF TOURS IN THE

198 '

mutiny of 1857, as far as I have been able to ascertain from
personal enquiries on the spot. But it must be understood
that it was not exclusively a mere s 41 forest, but that it was
a forest of mixed timber or of different sorts of trees, in which
there were also many “ s&khu ” and s 3.1 trees, which in some
spots predominated.

I must again beg to refer to the Gddi, or Dh^brawa Nala,
which runs close past Hardi (“ Hurdce ” in the maps), and
toShiwpur (“ Shewpoor” in the maps), which lies about two-
thirds of a mile to the north of the Gidi Nala, where it runs
through the long, narrow lake, 05 jheel, of TSlchhwa (the
“Teeneechh” of the maps, [Query? from the- Sans-
krit “ Tewan-ikshu,” meaning “ a garden or plantation

of sugarcane”]).' A mile and quarter to the east of Hardi,
there is a village the name of which is spelt “ Sookrowlee,”
in the maps. The sk\ forest is said to have commenced at this
point, which is about 2- miles from the Kuano river. From
thence the s 41 forest is said to have extended northwards,
by way of Pharwalia (the “ Phurwaleea ” of the maps) ;
and from the latter place to “ Sandee ” (S^n-dih), keeping
about half a mile to the east of the village ; and from
thence on to a village the name of which is spelt “ Dunour-
burea” in the maps, but the real name of which is Jin-
gu-b 4 ri, or Jin-gur-bhariyA, the latter meaning “ irri-
gated land corrugated by furrows.” The sS.1 forest lay be-
tween the above-named places and the Kuano or Kuani river.
It will thus be seen that the ScLl forest lay close to Shiwpur ;
but it would appear from local traditions that in ancient
times the sM forest extended even to the west of Shiwpur.
From this point the sM forest . is said to have extended still
further northwards, as far as the junction of the northern
branch of the Dochuan Nala with the Kuano river, 2 miles
to the south-east of Mansurnagar (wrongly spelt “ Maisoor-
nugur” in the maps?) ; and from thence on -further north-west
towards Sakhuya and Surseea .(Sarsiya). This would give
a total extent for the sal forest from south to north; of
about y miles, with a varying breadth from east to west of
from 2 to 3 miles, along the right or west bank of the
Kuano river. But .nearly the whole of this sal forest has
been cut down within the last twenty -five years, and it has in
part been replaced by a smaller forest of mahua, and a few
sdkhu, or young sM ' trees. Yet, still, I found the jangal

\ ^ ^ But the real name of the place is Tilchuan, from iaiUohuan^ meaning
oil-oozing/’ . . ^ ^

CENTRAL DOAB AND GORAKPUR IN x 874 - 7 S & 1875*76. -199

or forest very dense on' some parts of the banks of the Kuan
river, although Mr. Cooke has made many clearances. And
even until quite lately there were a few s^l trees still stand-
ing near Shiwpur.

The preceding description which I have given of the s^l
forest must be understood only to refer to its much diminish-
ed,' and fast diminishing condition in its latter days, — a few
years previous to the mutiny, when it was in the course of
being cut down, and much of it had already been cut down.
But, as I have previously intimated, according to the local
traditions, the s^l forest would appear to have originally, or
anciently, been much more extensive, and to have extended
much further west, even to the west of Shiwpur.

Now if a portion of the sS .1 forest anciently extended to
the west of Shiwpur, I have reason to believe that it may
in that case have extended as far west as Bfirhap^ra or
Budhapcira (wrongly spelt ” Boorapoor ” in the maps), which
is situated 2^ miles to the west-south-west from Shiwpur)
and that the Lumbini Garden was probably situated mostly
between Shiwpur and Burhapara, and that it was, perhaps
in fact, a sort of pleasure garden made by a partially cul-
tivated clearance on the westerly side of the s^l forest.

I have already previously stated that at Burhapara there
is an ancient handh^ or dam, or embankment which has been
thrown across the DdchG^n Nala there, and that I have
identified this with the embankment which is said to have
been thrown across the old bed of the Rohini river. This
bandh^ or dam, is about 700 feet in length, and runs across
the fidrfrapara near the middle et It. 1 have rro doubt
that this very embankment was the cause of the forma-
tion of the long narrow marshy lake or jheel which lies
about 800 feet to the west-north-west from Burhapara Dih,
and through which the Dochu&n Nala runs ; and that the
Burhapara lake must, therefore, originally have been simply
an artificial back-water. There is a dih, or mound of ruins,
to the w'est side of the village of Burhapara, and about
1,000 feet to the south-south-west of the Dih there is an
ancient tank. Burhapara Dih is a somewhat round-topped
mound, which measured about 180 feet across from north
to south, by about 300 feet from east to west.

The name of Burhapara is pronounced with the cerebral
sound of the letter r— like the cerebral d or dh sounded
as a cerebral r as in the pronunciation of the word
burhiya or budhiya^ an old woman ; and therefore the

200

REPORT OF TOURS IN THE

name of the place ought probably more correctly to be
written as Budhapara. Now, the Sanskrit root pa}' means
“to bring forth,” and therefore Buddhapai'as would mean
“ Budha’s bringing forth,” or BnddJia-parita would mean
“ Budha brought forth,” that is, the place where Budha was
brought forth, or the birthplace of Budha ! I, therefore,
believe that Budhapara is the actual place where Maya Devi
gave birth to Budha under the sS .1 tree in the Lumbinl
Garden !

Let us now call to mind what the Buddhist chronicles say
about the birth of the infant Buddha. It is said that when
MayA. Devi was near the time of her confinement she had a
desire to see her father, Suprabudha, who was Raja of Koli
or Vydghrapura, which was situated beyond, or to the east of,
the Lumbini Garden, and which may, therefore, probably have
been situated about 9 or lo miles to the east from Kapi-
lavastu. MayA. De\d then set out on her journey to pay a
visit to her father, but when she had got about half-Avay, be-
ing fatigued, she stopped to rest, it is said, in a garden of
sAlI trees called Lumbini. I have, however, shown that the
Lumbini was more probably a garden formed by making a
clearance in the sA.1 forest, and which Avould, therefore, be an
ornamentally cultivated patch of cleared ground, surrounded
by the trees of an original sAl forest ; for it Avould be absurd to
suppose that anything that could correctly be called a garden
could have been made by planting a whole forest of sal trees
of several miles in extent ! The Lumbini was, therefore,
probably some pleasant cleared glade in the sAl forest, in
which a tank or well had been constructed, and with a small
stream flowing by.

Well, I have said that MA.yA. Devi, being fatigued by her
journey, stopped haJf-Avay to rest in the Lumbini Garden ;
but being there overtaken by the pains of labour, she gave
birth to the infant Budha under the shade of a sAl tree,
and, in accordance with these circumstances, in all the
Buddhist sculptures or statues which represent ' MA.yA. Devi,
she is portrayed as standing under the sAl tree.

Now I may state that I believe I have discovered the
true site of the town of Koli or VyA.ghrapura, on the banks of
the Kuano or Kuani river, a little over 9 miles to the east
from Bhuila or Kapilavastu ; but in traA'-elling, the distance
would, of course, be more, and I myself found the journey to
the site which I have proposed for VyA.ghrapura to be- fully
10 miles. If, therefore, the place where the infant Budha

CENTRAL DOAB AND GORAKPUR IN 1874-75 A* 1875-76. 201

was bom was about half-way, it would be about 5 miles
to the east from Kapilavastu. I have already pointed out a
place called Budhapara as the probable spot where the in-
fant Bud ha was bom ; and Budhapara is just exactly 4^
miles, direct to the east-south-east, from iBhuila Din or
Kapilavastu ; but in travelling to it myself, I found the
journey to be fully 5 miles. Indeed, I may here as well
point out that in this part of the country, which is full of
lakes and jheels, and small rivers and watercourses of all
kinds, and almost without any roads, one has often to make
ver)' roundabout detours in travelling from one place to
another.

It would, therefore, appear that Budhapara, both in dis-
tance and in position, as well as in its significant name, cor-
responds exactly to the spot where the infant Budha was
bom.

I v.\\\ now quote the substance of what Huen Thsang says
about the place where Budha was bom in the Lumbini Garden.
He says that “ by the Lumbini Garden there was a tank, which
was aftenvards turned into a well. In this tank the new-born
prince was washed by tuo dragons. [Query, Nagas, or
men of the “ Magdar ” tribe ?] By the tank there was a
stdpa, which marked the spot where the infant prince was
washed. To the east of the latter there were two stdpas
near two springs of \\ater. To the south there was a stdpa,
where Indra is said to have taken the infant Budha in his
arms. Somewhere near this there were four stdpas, where
“ four kings of heaven,” or Devas, arc said to have held the
infant. Beside these four stdpas there was a great pillar, or
column of stone, which was surmounted by the figure of a
horse.

This pillar is said to have been overthrown and broken by
a dragon, and it was lying on the ground, broken into tw'o
pieces, when Huen Thsang saw it. There was a small river
flowing to the south-east of the Lumbini Garden, which was
called the " River of Oil. ”

Notv, the small Bair&hwa or Baheriwa T&l, from w'hich the
Gadi Nala first issues, is situated at the short distance of
only about 700 feet to the south of Budhapara Dih^ or
the mound of ruins, which lies about 300 feet to the west side
of the village of Burhapara; and where the tvatercourse,
or nalla, which forms one of two sources of the Gadi Nala,
or channel, issues out of the small Bairahwa or Baherawa
or Baheriwa TAl, it runs in an east-north-easterly direc-

202

REPORT OF TOURS IN THE

tion to the Tilchhua or Tinchhwa Tal, and in its co'urse
thither it passes within a quarter of a mile to the south-east
of the village of Budhapara. Again, from the Bua Tal, close
to the south-east of the Bairahwa or Baheriwa TA,1, another
channel runs north-eastwards to the Tilchhua TAL But these
two nallas, or channels ( the Bairahwa, or Baheriwa, and the
Bua ” Nalas), unite or form a junction before they reach
the Tilchhua TAl, and at the distance of about 5,600 feet to
the east from Burhapara Dili.

I have before explained that the Gadi Nala is in reality
only the upper portion of the Majhora Nadi ; so that in reality
the Majhora rises from the Bua TAl, and the Baheriwa or
Bairahwa TAl close to Budhapara ; and I have already stated
that I believe the name of the Majhora to be simply
a corruption of the Sanskrit Mrakshavari ^ meaning " oily-
water"" or MraksliaDoran ^ meaning “of an oily colour;”
and I have also identified Budhapara as the- birthplace of
Budha : and, therefore, in the upper portion of the Gadi or
Majhora river we actually have the River of OiV' running
past the birthplace of Buddha ; and the general course of the
Gadi, alias Majhora, is in a south-easterly direction : all ex-
actly as described by Huen Thsang, Moreover, the name of
the Tilchhua Tal, just previously referred to, also has the
same meaning, for tail-cJuian in Hindi means “oil-oozing;'"'
so that, both in a Hindi form and in a corrupted 'Sanskrit
form, we have plainly the name of the “ River of Oil ” pre-
served to this day.

Secondly, near the spot where Buddha was born, in the
Lumbini Garden, there was a tank, 'in which the infant new-
born Budha was washed by two dragons, and Huen Thsang
says that this tank was afterwards turned into a well. ( The
result of my own explorations, however, would tend to show
that when the tank became shallowed and dry a well was
constructed close beside it, on its very edge.) Close to
the tank or \yell there was a stupa. A short distance to
the east of this there were two stupas, near or between two
springs of water. 'Now, here we have a statement of certain
positions which cannot be overlooked. I fully believe that
the infant Budha was born under a sAl tree on the spot
now occupied by the mound of ruins called Burhapar Dih,
because it is situated just close to the east side of the dam
or embankment on the old bed of the Rohini river, which
.Maya Devi must have crossed when she was on her way
from Kapilavastu to Vyaghrapura ; and because . the

CENTRAL DOAB AND GORAKPUR IN 1874.75 & 1875-76 203

Bairahwa Nala, the Gadi Nala, and Majhora river run to the
south-eastwards of Burhapar, in the same manner as the
“River of oir' ran to the south-east of the Lumbini Garden.
But I believe that the tank or well wherein the infant Buddha
was washed was situated at the old village and Dih of
Hardiya, where there are several mounds of ruins, and an
ancient tank or small Kund with an old well on the edge of
it, and with something like the ruins of a stOpa close to it.^

Hardiya Dih is situated only about i ,500 feet to the
south-west from Burhapar Dih. Now, the birthplace of
Buddha is ^aid also to have been called Deva-doshuy meaning
“ given by god ; ” and the name of the village of Har-
dtya has the same meaning, for hardiya means “ given by
Har”(agod).

The village of Hardya is situated among mounds of
ruins on the west bank of the southern branch of the
Dochuan Nala, just where it is connected with the second
Chapartalla TM. In the centre of the village of Hardiya
there is a small but ancient and deep tank, or kimd of a
somewhat rounded, or irregularly oval shape, which measured
about 80 feet in diameter across from east to west, by
about 50 feet from north to south. This tank is dry in the
hot weather, and is partly choked up by rubbish. On the
southern edge of this old tank, or ktmdj there is an old well
built of ancient bricks, and which is still in use. On the
southern edge of the tank, and only about 5 feet to the
north of the well, there is a small mound of brick ruins,
which is evidently the remains of a stupa. About 260
feet to the east-south-east from the tank there is a lowish
mound of brick ruins called “Jogi Bir-ka Than,^^ which
from its_ name may probably have been the site of a ViJiara^
or “ small monastery.” About 200 feet to the south-west
from the kund there is a larger and higher mound of
ruins.

Having thus identified the tank, or kund^ in which the
infant Buddha was washed, we have now to find the “two
springs,” or “ two channels, ” or “ sources of water,” and the
site of the two stupas ” which stood between the two springs
which were situated at some distance to the east of the tank
in which the infant Buddha was washed.

About 300 feet to the south-east from the tank the
southern branch of the Dochuan Nala overflows into the
Baherawa Tdl. This I consider to be one of the “ springs
of water” mentioned by Huen Thsang.

204 REPORT OF TOURS IN THE

Next, about 850 feet further east, another channel,
called the Baherawa, or the Bairahwa Nala, issues from the
Chapartalla Tal, and runs north-north-eastwards into the small
Bairawa lake, at the west . end of which there is an old
embankment. I consider this second channel to represent
the other of the '''’two springs of water” mentioned by Huen
Thsang. . -

Exactly half-way between these two channels above de-
scribed, and due east from the Hardiya Kund and well, there
is a large ancient tank, or fokhra^ surrounded by. high and
broad embankments. On the northern, western, and southern
sides of these embankments there are somewhat conical emi-
nences, which may very possibly be the sites of stupas which
have since been destroyed. At any rate I feel certain that the
two stupas between the two springs of water mentioned
by Huen Thsang must have been situated on the broad
embankments of this large, ancient tank, or pokhra, which,
is situated exactly half-way between two water channels.'

Lastly, Huen Thsang mentions that to the south there
were five stupas and a great stone pillar (the latter lying
broken in two pieces, when Huen Thsang saw it). One of
these stupas was raised on the spot where Indra is said to
have taken the infant Buddha in his arms, and four other
stupas marked the spot where ” four kings of heaven^'' ■' or
Devas, are said to have held the infant.

Now, about 4,600 feet, or three-quarters of a mile, to the
south-south-east from Burhapdra Dili, and about the same
distance, or less, to the south-east from the large embanked
tank or last mentioned, there are some conspicuous

mounds of brick ruins, called “ Bua dihp on the eastern bank
of a lake called the Bua Tdl. The first and most conspicu-
ous of these is a brick stupa, about 40 or 50 feet in diameter ;
and, although much ruined and worn, it is still of some con-
siderable height (probably about 8 feet) ; but the people of
the neighbouring villages say that a great quantity of the
bricks have been gradually dug off itand taken away. Never-
theless, it has still the clear and distinct outline of a stupa,
and it is still a most conspicuous object of view. I believe
this to be the stupa which marked the spot where Indra is
said to have taken the infant Buddha in his arms.

• This opinion of mine has since been confirmed, as some of the oldest inhabi-
tants of Hardiya informed me that sorhe years ago there were two round- topped
or conical mounds of brick near this tankj one of which stood on the southern '
embankment,,. and the other on the western embankment of the tank. The
people called these two stupas ** deolis.^^ * ^ ”

CENTRAL DOAB AND GORAKPUR IN 1S74.75 & 205

About 90 feet beyond, or to the south of this stupa,
there are the remnants of the ruins of the base of another
(smaller) stupa, which appears to have been about 30 feet
in diameter. About 70 feet beyond or to the south of
the last there arc the ruins of tlie base of another st6pa,
\\hich appears to have .been about 20 feet in diameter.
About 35 feet beyond, or to the south of the last, there are
the remnants of two very small stOpas, which lie about 10
feel apart, south-east and north-west of one another. Of
these, the more easterly one of the two appeared to have been
about 15 feel in diameter, and the westerly one about 10 feet
in diameter.

The large stupa first mentioned, and the ruined remnants
of the four smaller ones, are situated on a cur\’cd -shaped
mound of ruins, which is narrow about the middle, but
curves round towards the west at its northern and south-
ern ends. This mound of ruins is about ^oo feet in length
from north to south, with a breadth from east to west, about
the middle, of about too feet ; but at its northern end it
sends out an extension westwards for about 200 feet ; while
at its southern end it sends out an extension westwards for
about 140 feet. At the north-western end of this mound of
ruins, a nalla, or water-channel, issues out of the BuA TAl,
and runs in a north-easterly direction towards the Tdchhwa
TAl and Gadi Nala.

At the distance of about S50 feet to the south from this
series of ruins, there is a ver)' large and extensive, but solid
and compact, mound of ruins, W’hich measured 1 ,000 feet each
w’ay. There are also traces of smaller brick ruins beyond its
western, southern, and south-eastern sides. To the north-
north-eastern side of this great mound of ruins, there is a
very large square tank, called a pokhra, or sagar, w'hich is
surrounded by high embankments. I believe this great mound
of ruins to have been the site of some large Buddhist estab-
lishment, or monaster)’.

This great mound of ruins is now occupied by a pretty
large modern village called '* w’hich is almost entirely

peopled by Muhammadans. But the Muhammadan inhabitants
of the village say that the original name of the place w’as
and that the modern village of Kurda w'as founded
and named by them in quite recent times.

These Muhammadan villagers gave the follbw'ing account
of the matter : — They said that they originally came from a

2o6

REPORT OF TOURS IN THE

place called Hasna, in a part of the country a way long
to the south. They then settled at a place a short dis-
tance to the south of Bua (probably at Hufiids^ the " Hut-
naoo ” of the maps),, in the time of Aurangzeb. When
they first came to this part of the country, about 150 years
ago, they say they found the whole place a mass of dense
jangal. Two Muhammadan brothers used to drive their
cattle northwards every day for pasture, and on one of these
occasions they discovered the great mound of ruins at Bun,
which was then covered with jangal. The two brothers then
thought that it would be a good elevated site for a village,
and so they settled on it, and cleared it, and built dwellings
on it for themselves and families ; and in time the settlement
increased, and it became a village.

About 1,040 feet to the south-east of the great mound of
Bua, or Kurda, there is a low mound of brick ruins, which
is called “ Jogi Bir ka Tha, ” which, I suspect, should be
J-ogian ha Bhir ka TJidn,'^ which would mean “the place of
assembly of jogis and I, therefore, believe that it refers
to a place of assembly of Buddhist monks in ancient,
times.

Ancient Hindu bricks of a very large size are found, both
in Bua-dih and in the great mound on which the village of
Kurda is situated ; and these bricks are of the same size as
the largest of the ancient bricks which were found in the
excavations at Bhuila or Kapilavastu. Moreover, fragments
of ancient terracotta images were found at the great mound
of Kurda, exactly like those which were found in the excava-
tions at Kapilavastu.

But the most convincing proof of the great antiquity of-
Bua-dih and the great mound of ruins adjoining it 2X Kurda, is
that large copper Indo-Scythic coins, of the time of Wemo-
Kadphises, and Kanishka, are found there, and several of
which I obtained on the spot. I also obtained an ancient
square Buddhist coin, bearing the symbol of Dharma, from the
same place ; and also an ancient square punch-marked coin.

As I said before, “ Bua” is the ancient name of the place.
With regard to the name of “ Kurda,” it may either be derived
from the Hindi kurd, which means “ the self-irnmolation -of a
devotee” or “ a person who has self-immolated himself” ; or it
might be a corruption of the Persian khurdah meaning
“ pasture,” from klmrdan “to feed.” But the name of the place
is pronounced “ Kurda.”

CENTRAL DOAB AND GORAKPUR IN 1874-75 & 1875.76. 207

Here, again, I found the name of the Th^rus brought
forward ; for one or two of the oldest inhabitants of Kurda
said that they had heard that Thdrus had originally possessed
Kurda or Bua.

So, in like ^manner, when I sent a party to explore and
make some measurements at Koraun-dih, in Zillah Mhauli
or Mahuli (the “Mhowlee” of themaps), to the east-south-east
of Basti, and which I have proposed, further on, as the possible
site of the “ Ramagrama ” of the Buddhist traditions, the in-
habitants of the adjoining villages came running out, exclaiming
that the Tharus had come again to their old place, to search
for their hidden treasures ; and it leaked out from this that
the popular belief of the peasantry was that the Thdrus were
the original founders of Koraun-dih,

I have already mentioned that the same tradition is current
with regard to Bhuila or Kapilavastu ; and therefore this
constant reference to the Tharas is very remarkable, if not
significant.

I will now make a few final remarks about the course which
Maya Devi followed in her journey from Kapilavastu to
Vyaghrapura or Koli, and the exact position and extent of the
Lumbini Garden, so far as I have been able to ascertain from
personal exploration ; and I may here give the positive as-
surance that any statements I may have made, or any opinions
I may have expressed, or may here offer, in connection with
the identification of either the Rohini river, the Ltivtbtn
Garden^ or the River of Oil, are minutely and absolutely cor-
rect in every particular ; and are founded on, and derived from,

’ a careful and laborious personal examination of, 1 may say,
almost every foot of the ground that lies between the Lake
of Bhuila and the KuS.nO river. I have actually walked on
foot,along all the windings and turnings of the courses of each
of the ancient river-beds, water-channels, or nallas which I
have described ; and I have visited and walked round each
. of the lakes, or lake beds, which I have mentioned, and I
have carefully examined each site and every miind of ruins. "

I, therefore, simply deal with actual facts j and conse-
quently, as my statements cannot be altered or modified in
any way, they must either be accepted in toto as I give
them, or else rejected in toto.

I have already mentioned in my description of Bhuila
that there is a small mound of brick ruins on the north-east-
ern bank of the Bhuila Lake ; that the ground there is high ;

2o8

REPORT OF TOURS IN THE

and that the fields there are strewed, here and there, for some
distance, with fragments of brick and pottery, that is, between
the village of Ama and the Saraya TM, and extending from
the north-eastern bank of the Bhuila Lake eastwards, here
and there, in the direction of Ranipur Dih, I have also
mentioned that portions of an ancient road are still trace-
able along the middle part of this tract of ground from
near the north-eastern side of the Bhuila Lake passing to
the south of R4nipur Dih, and thence nearly all the way to
Majhowan and Hardiya, and in the direction of Burhap^r ; and
that I believed that this ancient road must originally have
run from Bhuila to Burhapar, and from thence again onwards
to the Barah Chhetr, or Var^ha Kshetra, or A^yS.ghrapura
on the Kuano river ; and that, therefore, I believed that
this must have been the actual line of road along which Maya
Devi travelled to the Lumbini Garden on her way from Kapila-
uastu to Vydghrapura or Koli.

I have also identified the Dochnan Nala with the Rohini
river ^ or in other words, the ancient or primeval bed of the
Rohwai river.

But Mdyd Devi never reached her destination, but had to
stop to rest half-way in the Limibiiii Garden^ where she
was overtaken by the pains of labour, and where the infant
Buddha was born. Now I have already shown that Bitr-
liapar is exactly half-way, and that it is situated between
the Dochuan Nala or Rohini river and another channel or
water-course which I have identified with the River of OUR

If, Mdyd Devi travelled along the old road from

Bhuila^ or Kapilavastu, to Majhowan^ and from thence on
to Hardiya and Burhapar, she would have to cross the
Dochuan Nala, or old Rohini river, by passing over the dam
or embankment which, as I have shown, crosses the channel,
or old river bed, close to the west side of Burhapdr. I, there-
fore, believe that immediately Mdyd Devi had crossed over
this embankment, she found herself in the Lumbmi Garden,
that is, on the very spot where Burhapdr now is ; and that it
was here that she stopped to rest, and where her infant son
was born.

I have also pointed out that another channel, or old river
bed, passes close to the south-east of Burhapdr, and that
this is one of the sources of the Gddi Nala, or Mujhor river,
and that, therefore, this must be the “ River of OiU’ which
flowed to the south-east of the Lumbini Garden.

CENTRAL DOAB AND GORAKPUR IN 1874.7S & 1875-76. 209

We have, therefore, fixed and ascertained one point in, or
portion of, the Lumhini Garden, with absolute certainty.
But, as it would appear to have been a grove of sM trees,
the Lumhini Garden must have been of some extent. I,
therefore, believe that the Ltimbini Garden, which included
Burhapdr Dih, must have extended thence in four direc-
tions. First, southwards, to the ancient tank, or pohhra
which lies between two channels close to the east of Hardiya
and to the south of Burhapdr Dth. Secondly j south-east-
wards to the channel, or old river bed, which issues, primarily,
from the Chapartalla Tdl, and, secondarily, from the small
Baker diva Tdl and which forms the source of the Gadi, or
Majhora. - Thirdly ^ eastwards to the continuation of the
same channel, where it turns north-eastwards to meet another
channel which comes from the Bua TM, and from which
point _ the united channel runs towards the Tilchuan TdL
Fourthly ^ northwards, to the banks of the north-eastern con-
tinuation of the Dochuan Nala or Rohini river; and north-
east-wards to the village of Pikaora, at which there is a very
ancient tank, Or pokhra ; and so on, again, east-north-east-
w'ards to the western end or commencement of the Tilchuan
TAl.

Thus, the Lujnhini Garden would be placed between,
and entirely surrounded by, ramifications of the old Rohini
rivei\ and of the other chanriel which represents the ” River-
0/ Oil.''

This would give an extent to the Lumhini Garden of
nearly a mile and a quarter from east to west by about a mile
and a quarter from north to south, which again would give
a total circumference of nearly 5 miles. Or, if we suppose
that the actual Garden itself occupied a rather smaller space,
or somewhat lesser area, within the same bounds, we may
then estimate its size to have been about a mile square, or
about 4 miles in circumference.

I will now proceed cursorily to notice a few other sites,
or mounds of ruins, in the neighbourhood of Burhapdr, or
Budhapdr.

At the west side of the village of Bara Ddr, on the
Dochuan Nala, there i^ a lowish mound, which is situated at
the distance of about 1,100 feet to the north-north-east from
Burhaplir Dih.

At the west side of the village of Kesarai, about a mile
and a quarter to the north-west from Budhapara, there is a
small low mound of ruins, with a sculptured stone lying on

o

210

REPORT OF TOURS IN THE

the lop of it, which is called the Argha of Gupi N/fth^ hut
which looked to me like as if it had originally been the base
of a pillar or the cap of a stilpa, which had been altered by
cutting, and to the north of Kesarai there is an old fort of
a square shape with high ramparts.^

The village of Majalidivan is situated at the distance of
3,500 feet to the west from Burhapdr Dili. The name of the
village of “ Majlm'njnii ” I think may be a corruption of the
Sanskrit Mokshd-vana, meaning the delightful garden^ or
garden of beatitude, as General Cunningham quotes from a
note by Klaproth in Fo-k-ko'ive-kilh" the effect that the
Lumbini Garden, in which Buddha was born, was also called
" Peu'ddi Moksha F or “Supreme Beatitude;” and it is
easy to see how Majhawan may be a corruption of Moksha-
vaiMj if the name of the Majhara river be a corruption of
Mrakshd-'uari, or Mrakshd-varan, meaning “ the Oily River.”

At the village of Pipra, about a mile and -a quarter to the
west-south-west from Burhap&ra, there is a dih^ or mound of
ruins^ and two ancient tanks which are said originally to have
been 'haoli wells.

At the village of Aivpit?', on the south side of the Aila
T^l, and about a mile and a half to the south-west from
Burhapar, there is a large and high mound of ruins.

The village of Tilchhuan (the Teench of the maps) is
situated on the Tilchhuan Sohi, or Gadi Nala, about 6,900
feet to the east -north-east from BudhaparPiln This village
of Tilchuun is partly situated on a mound of ruins ; and
a short distance to the east of the village there is a small
mound of ruins, composed of ancient bricks which measured
100 feet by 90 feet across each way, but the Muhammadans
pretend that either a Shahid or a Say ad is buried in it.

The large village of Shiwpw' is situated about a mile to the
north of Tilchhuan. Close to the north side of the village of
Shiwpur there is a large mound of ruins ; and on this mound
I saw a curious round-topped eminence. When-I visited the
mound, there were the remains of a small ruined building on
it; and there was an old well on a part of the mound. To
the west side of the mound there is a pond or tank. Alto-
gether, this mound of ruins appeared- to me to be of im-
portance and worthy of notice. A spot on this mound, is
called Har-satika Thdnl'

^ There is said to have been a monastery or Vihdra, called the
Ntrodh-drdma or Nyagrodha Vihdra on the Rohini river, riear
Kapilavastu. Without any more exact data than this to guide

CENTRAL DOAB AND GORAKPUR IN 1874-75 & 1875-76. 211

one, it is impossible to fix upon any particular spot for the situa-
tion of this vihdra ; butj as Nyagrodha is the Sanskrit for the
Bdrgad tree, and, as there is a village called Bargadeya^'
on the bank of the north-eastern branch of the Dochtian
Nala^ or Rohtnt, about a mile to the north-west of Shi'wpur^
I thought that Bargadeya might perhaps turn out to be the
site of the Nyagrodha monastery ; but, unfortunately I could
not find any mound of ruins at Bargadeya.

I have already previously referred to an ancient site or
mound, called Kdpari or 'Kaptiii or Kapili Dih, which is
situated at the junction of two branches or feeders of the
Dochuan Nala, or Rohini, at the distance of 6,600 feet,
or a mile and a quarter, to the west from BurhapAr Dih,
and less than 3 miles to the east of Bhuila Tdl. My
own belief is that this must have been the site of the
hermitage, or vasiu^ of Kapila Rishi^ and from whom the
name of Kapilavasta is said to have been derived.

24.— KOLI, OK VYAGHRAPURA.

Koli) or Vydglirapura^ was the residence of Raja Suprahud-
the father of UBiyd Devt,ih&mo\.hQT oi Sdkya Afuiit, or
Buddha ; and it was to visit her father at this place that
M^yA Devi was going, when she gave'birth to her illustrious
son, under a sAl tree in the Luvihini Garden, about half-
way between Kapilavastii and Koli.

The first name of the place, Noli*' would seem to have
been derived either from kol, meaning " a creek,” or a
narrow channel,” or ”a long narrow passage”, — or from katte,
or hil, which means either “a bank of a river” or "a heap
'or mound, ” or *ta pond or pool, ” or else from kaula^ kola^
or kaulii which means " a corner in a bend or angle,” as, for
instance, the retreating angle in the bend of a river. Now it is
remarkably curious that I believe I have actually found the site
of the town of Koli^ accompanied by certain natural features
and peculiarities which exactly correspond to all the various
suggested meanings of the name, which I have just given.
For the site which I have identified as that of Koli, is
situated at a place called ” Barahchhetra** in the retreating
angle of an extraordinary bend of the Ktiano, or Knani,
river, on the very bank of the river, — and where the river
runs through a narrow channel, between artificial embank-
ments t And such a place as this would be described as a Ah/,
'Kill, Kaula, KaiiU, or Koli, in Hindi, at the present day ! There
is no other place in India like it that ever 1 have seen. It is

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REPORT OF TOURS IN THE

quite remarkable, unique, and could not be passed over ^ or
mistaken. It is evidently the site of an ancient town, which
had pleasure gardens and tanks surrounding it, and for the
special benefit, convenience, and safety, 'of the inhabitants
of which one of the finest little rivers in India, the Kudno
or Kudniy was banked up, or banked in, like a canal, between
artificial embankments, in order to keep it out of the now
nearly dry beds of two ancient lakes, which lie on either
side of it, like empty yawning gulfs ; and the bed of the river
is raised, by the embankments, above the nearly dry, hollow
beds, of the two ancient lakes, on either side of it, like a
donkey’s back between two panniers !

This place is situated at the distance of a little over
9 miles, direct, or say lo miles, due es-st ivom Bhuila Dih, or
Kapilavastu, miles, or nearly 5 miles, east-north-east from
Budhapara, and about 9 miles to the north-east from
“ SarkuhiaP which I have identified with Sarakdpa. But
in travelling, on account of the rivers, nallas, and lakes
which intervene, the road distance from Sarkuhia to the
Barahchhetra, or Koli, would probably be fully ii or 12
miles. It is evident, therefore, that Huen Thsang’s exag-
gerated distance of 18 or 19 li, or from 13 to 15 miles, .
from the Sarakupa^ must really have been to the town of
Koli, and not to the Lumbini Garden at all !

But if I have correctly identified Bdrah^ Chhetra with
“ Kolip it is necessary also that I should be able to prove that
it is entitled to the second name of “ Vyaghrapura.” The
correct Sanskrit name of the Bar ah Chhetra is Varaha
Kshetra and all the natives of this part of the country,
with one accord, declare that the Varaha Avatar of Vishnu
took place at this spot, and a great raela^ or fair, is held
here, on this very account. Now, it is stated by the Brah-v
mans, and also in the Purdnas that the Varaha Avatar
of Vishnu was manifested at a place called " Vyaghrapuri P -
and consequently the Barah Chhetra, or Varaha Kshetra,
must be the “ Vydghrapuri'^ of the Brahmanical traditions,
and the “ Vydghrapura^' oi Buddhist chxovi\c\es\ This
argument which I have brought forward in proof of the
correctness of my identification of Vydghrapura, appears
to me to be logically self-evident and irrefragable.

The manner in which I came to find out that the Barah
Chhetra was the site of Vydghrapura, was as follows : — I had
gone on an exploring expedition to the Kudno river, and I
visited the Barah Chhetra, which I had heard was a famous

1

CENTRAL DOAB AND GORAKPUR IN 1874-75 & 1875-76. 213

place, and the reputed scene of one of t\ie Avnidras Vishnu.
On hearing the latter, I thought at first that it might possibly
be the last or ninth, or “ Buddha Avatay^^ of Vishnu that
was referred to ; and that it might thus turn out to be the
birth-place of Buddha. But I happened to fall into conversa-
tion with a Brahman, and I asked him what Avatar of Vishnu
had taken place at the Bdrah Clihctra^ and he said that it was
the Vardha Avatar^ and that this was the meaning of the name
of the place, and that the correct form of the name was
“ Vardha Kshetra." 'I then told the Brahman that I had been
in Rajpntaiiay and that I had usited a place called Baghcra^
between Tonk Toda and Ajmcn*; and that the people of
Bdghera bad informed me # that the ancient name of the
place was Vydghra^ and that 'the Vardha Avatar of Vishnu
had taken place there; and that they declared, moreover,
that it was the true place of the Vardha Avatar referred to
in t\\e PurdnaSj and not another “ Vydghraptiri^^^ \n the north,
near Ayodya. To this the Brahman replied that he was
perfectly certain that the Barah Chhetra^ or Vardha Kshetra^
was the real place where the J'ardha Avatdr was manifested ;
and he stated that he knew that it was said to have occurred
at a place called Vy&ghrapuri^ but that the Bdrah Chheira,
or Vardha Kshetra was the true and original Vydghraptiri\

This was enough for me. The Brahman was little aware
of the important information that he was conveying to me.
This, then, is Vydghrapura*^ of the Buddhist chronicles.
There can be no doubt, therefore, that I have actually dis-
covered the site of the ancient town of “ VyAghrapura,” or
" Koli,” at the BarAh Chhetra on the KuAno or KuAni
River I And this important discovery also confirms my
identification of Bhuila n ith Kapilavastu to a certainty !

I will now proceed to describe the BarAh Chhetra (VyAghra-
pura) and its neighbourhood more minutely.

On looking at Quarter Sheet No. 87, N.E. of the Indian
Atlas, it will be seen that about 7^ miles to the north-north-
west from Basti, and about 2^ miles nearly due east from
Shiwpur, there is an extraordinary doubly -angular bend east-
wards, in the KuAno or KiiAni river. It is in this bend, on the
right or western bank of the river, that the BArAh Chhetra, or
VarAha Kshetra, and the site of VyAghrapura is situated. It
will p.lso be seen that there is a long-shaped lake marked
down in contact with the eastern side of this bend of the
KuAno River. But there is also the hollow bed of a smaller
lake, now almost dry, within the bend on the western bank of

214

REPORT OF TOURS IN THE

the Kii^no River ; but which is not marked -in the maps.
These two lake-beds probably originally formed one large
lake into which the Kiiana river flowed ; but the river has
been cut off from them on either side by being banked up
like a canal with embankments on both sides of it. The
bed of the Kii^no river appeared to me to be absolutely higher
than the beds of the two ancient lakes on either side of it.
Certainly the bed of the larger lake on the east side lies at
a considerably lower level than the bed of the Kii^no river.
There is generally at all times a little water left in the bot-
tom of this great lake bed, but it is never anything like full,'
and never wears the appearance of a lake, except during the
rains. Yet this great lake-bed is about a mile and a half in
length from north-west to south-east, with a varying breadth
of generally about a quarter of a mile ; but in the middle it
must be fully half a mile in breadth. The old lake-bed on -
the west side is .much smaller, and generally quite dry, ex-
cept during the rains. This smaller ancient lake basin may-'
be about half a mile in length from north-east to south-west,
by from a quarter of a. mile to less from north-west to
south-east. The western embankment on the Kiiano river
runs along the north-western, eastern, and south-eastern sides -
of this hollow basin ; and it is bounded by natural heights on
the north and west, which are covered by an open forest of
fine trees, with two or three small villages situated here and
there -on the heights among the trees.

It was on these natural heights, last mentioned, on the
northern and western edges of this hollow basin, that the
ancient town of Vyaghrapura was situated ; but all that
remains of the traces of the town now are fragments of
broken brick and bits of old pottery, scattered here and there.
There was, however, one projecting round-shaped knoll of
this high ground on the northern side, which was entirely
covered with fragments of brick; and I also saw fragments
of brick and bits of old pottery on one spot on the high
grounds on the western side. But wherever the forest has
been cut down and fields made and cultivated in the imme-
diate neighbourhood, brick and old pottery are still turned
up by the plough here and there. In fact, it is the growth
of trees and grass, and a consequent upper surface of mod-
em vegetable mould that hide whatever other remains of the"
ancient city may be buried in the ground. The greatest
monument of the ancient city is the banking-in of the
Kiiano river like a canal immediately opposite to its site.

CENTRAL DOAB AND GORAKPUR IN 1874*75 & 1875-76. 215

The VarAha Kshetra, or rather the Kund, or deep tank,
and temple of the Variha Avatar,— are situated at the
inner southern angle of the cul de sac of the bend of the
river, and at the south-eastern angle of the hdndhy or em-
bankments. Here there is the most extraordinary tank that
I ever saw. It is situated close to the bank of the river, and
it probably may have some subterraneous communication
with the latter in the manner of an artesian well. This bank
is absolutely a “ bottomless pit.” It is tremendously deep
(said to be unfathomable), circular-shaped at top, funnel-
shaped below, with high, perpendicular bank all round it,
except on the western side, where a sloping road leads down
to the tank. A superficial nalla also runs from the top of
the tank to the river on the eastern side. On the top of the
bank on the north side of the tank, there are the traces of
‘the foundations of some ancient building composed of
large ancient bricks. On this there now stands a small,
square, roofless, ruined shrine, which contains a small lingam,
and with it also a large square sculptured stone, with a wide
square vacuity in the middle of it, which I recognised as the
cap of a sthpa, because a stone stupa cap, which was found
at a ruined sthpa at Bhuila, is the very exact counterpart of
it. To the south side of the tank, in a grove of trees, there
is a very plain and ugly modern brick temple.

To the south-west of the low hollow valley, or old lake
basin, where the hdndhy or embankment, comes to an end,
there is an open reach to the river, which is here joined by
a nalla^ or water-course, which comes in from the north-west.
Beyond this, at an elbow of the river, where it commences
to turn southwards, there is a high, square, deserted mud
fort, now overgrown with trees, which is said to have been
constructed by a Raja of Basti, called “ Lall Sahib.” Fur-
ther to the westwards, near a village, there is a fine grove
of large trees, and several ponds or tanks ; and I also noticed
two or three small white-washed structures, which may pos-
sibly have been Sati monuments. I think that this spot
may have been the site of a pleasure garden in form ertimes
which belonged to the ancient city of Nyaghrapura.

A great fair, or mela^ is held at the Bar4h Chhetra twice
a year, in the months of Chait and Kartik,

24.-~RAMAGRAMA.

Of the eight portions into which the relics xif Buddha
divided at his death, one portion was granted to the Kosalas

2i6

REPORT OF TOURS IN THE

of Rdinagrdma^ who erected a stupa to contain it. The
remaining seven portions, which had been allotted to other
places, were aftenvards collected together hy AjYii a snir}i,Vmg
of Magadha, and were enshrined together in one' single grand
stupa, at R^jagraiha ; but the eighth portion was still left in
the stupa erected at Afterwards, however, the

great Buddhist king Asoka became desirous to remove this
portion of the relics to his own capital city, and made an at-
tempt to obtain them. But it is said that a king of the Nagas,
who guarded the Rdmagrdma stilpn, objected to their removal
and expostulated with king Asoka to such good effect that he
abandoned his attempt, and left the relies where they were.

The Ceylonese Buddhist chronicles, however, had an
absurd story to the effect that the Rdmagrdma stupa had
been destroyed by a river, and that the relics it contained
had consequently been washed away, and were eventually
carried by the river to the sea, where they were seized upon
by a maritime race of NAgas and carried to their dcing, who
built a . stupa over it, — we may suppose a Neptunian stdpa of
coral ! But it is further said that a very holy terrestrial Bud-
dhist monk got the relics from the sea king by means of a mira-
cle and carried them off to Ceylon, where they were enshrined
in a great stupa. This story, however, has now been pretty
well proved to be false, as has been shown by General
Cunningham, for both of the Chinese travellers, Fa-Hian
and Hwen Thsang, saw the Rdmagrdma Stilpa still standing,
entire and intact, but they did not see any " river ” near it ! ■

After visiting Kapilavasiu, both of the Chinese travellers
went on to Rdmagrdma^ or “ Lan-moR Fa-Hian makes the
distance from Kapilavastu to Rdmagrdma to have been 5
yojanas, or about 35 miles, in an easterly direction ; while Hwen
Thsang makes the distance to have been 200 //, or about 33;^
miles, according to General Cunningham’' s equivalent. But,
as I have before remarked, much allowance must be made in
this part of the country for long round-about detours on ac-
count of intervening rivers, lakes, and marshes ; and, there-
fore, I do not think that the actual distance could possibly
have been more than 30 miles at most, if not less.

Now, I believe that I have discovered the site of Rdmagrd-
ma at the distance of 28 miles direct to the east-south-
east, from Bhuila Dih, ox Kapila'tiastu^ but the road. dis-
tance in travelling must be considerably over 30 miles.

Referring again to Quarter Sheet 87 N. E. of the Indian
Atlas, at the intersection of longitude 83° with latitude 26°

CENTRAL DOAB AND GORAKPUR IN 1874.75 & 1875-76 2I7

45' in Pergunnah MhowleCy and 1 1 miles to the south*
east from the town of Basti, it will be seen that -there is a
pear-shaped lake. About a mile and a half to the south-east
from this lake, there are tw'o villages called Nagra and
BhagwApur (the Bugivanpoor of the maps). About half
a mile to the south of Bhag\\Anpur, there is a village
called Kuraon, or Korau, or Kurawa, which is situated at
the eastern edge of a great mound of ruins, w'hich is larger
than the great Dih »of Bhuila ; but the Korau Dih has been
more encroached upon by the plough. It is this extensive
mound at Korau that I believe to have been the site of the
ancient town of RAmagr&ma.

According to Hwen Thsang, Rdmagrdnia was an ancient
city which had, in his time, been long deserted. H\ven
Thsang says that the stiipa of relics was nearly 100 feet
high, and he places it to the south-east of the site of
the town, near a tank of water, which was inhabited by
dragons, or NAgas, who guarded the stupa. But I think
that 'he has, as in several other cases, reversed the matter
as to the position of the stfipa, and that he really meant to
say that the site of the town was to the south-east of the
stdpa : at least I have found a high mound of brick ruins
at Koratty which measured about 20 feet up the slope,
but, of course, much less in perpendicular height, and which
is situated to the north-west of the great mound of ruins,
which is the site of a large ancient town. Hv en Thsang also
mentions that there 'ivas a monastery at some short distance
from the stApa, probably to the east of it.

The ancient name of the town, of which the great mound
of ruins at Korau is the remains, is said to have been SohJi-
man^nagara^' which would mean “ the city of the beautiful
gem ; ” but as the term vmn^ or inani, was commonly used by
Buddhists for a “ relic,” Sohh-man^nagara would mean “ the
city of the excellent relic,” and would thus have reference to
the relic of Buddha enclosed in the great stilpa of Rdma-
grdma.'

The great mound of ruins at Korau measured about 2,100
feet in length from east to west, by about 1,400 feet in
breadth from north to south. The bed of an ancient river
runs past the south-west and south of the site of the ancient
town. The ancient river, which formerly flowed in this now

* The present name of Koraun is probably a corruption of Kor-rang, mean-
ing " at the edge of the Rang,” or Rangili rner, which is the old name of an
ancient river bed which runs past it.

2i8

REPORT OP TOURS IN' THE

deserted bed is said to liave been called either the Rmigili or
the Rasdri Nadi. This ancient river bed comes from a long,
narrow lake which lies to the south of Basti, and which is sur-
rounded by the villages of Jatnapur, Bholka, Hatwa, Mar-
walean, Nagra, and Dewri. From this a channel runs south-
east to a small lake at Sikra Pathon ; and from thence the old
channel runs south-east close past the south-west and south
of Korau Dili, and it eventually joins the Kainaya river, near
a village called Chirownea about 2 miles to the north of
Harharpur.

About 300 feet to the north-west of the great Dili
of Korau, there is a pretty high isolated mound of brick
ruins, which is at present less than 15 feet high. On the
top of this there is a large stone lingam of Jlfaliadco, and which
is fixed upright in a large, square, horizontal stone, now called
an argha ; but the latter may very probably have been formed
out of the coping stone of the stfipa ; and the erect stone
may, equally probably, be the remains of the usual stone
pillar which was fixed in the top of most stupas to support
an ornamental stone cap, from the centre of which latter
rose the stock of the stone umbrella. This so-called lingam,
or pillar, on the top of this stupa at Korau, is square at
the lower part of it, and rounded on the upper part.
Close to the east side of this mass of ruin there is a
lake, which is called a Sclgar, and which extends for about
1 ,700 feet eastwards, and which lies close to the north side
of the great Dih, or site of the ancient town.' This lake,
or sugar, still remains pretty full of water, and I believe
that it represents the tank, or lake of water, in which the
Nigas lived who kept guard over the stfipa, as described
by the Chinese travellers Fa-Hian and Huen Thsang.

To the north-east of the eastern end of the sagar, and
about 700 feet to the north-north-east of the eastern end
of the Dih, or site of the town, there is a small mound
of brick ruins, probably about 8 feet in height, and which
measured about 58 feet horizontally each way, and on the
top of this there is a stone lingam. About 220 feet to the
west-north-west from this there is another small mound.
Close to the north-north-east of these two mounds there is a '

^ See Plate XIII from my own survey of the site. I visited Koron-dih, and-
my account of the ruins will be found in Vol. XI. of the Archicological Survey.—
A. Cunningham.

CENTRAL DOAB AND GORAKPUR IN 1874-75 Sc 1875.76. 2 19

tank. This may probably be the site of the monastery which
Huen Thsang mentions as having been in existence at
RimagrAma, and which appears to have been situated a
short distance to the east of the great stCipa.

A little over 350 feet to the east-south-east from the
mound with the lingam, and to the north-east of the site of
the old town, there is another small mound with a lingam on
the top of it, and close to the east side of it there is a small
tank.

At a moderate distance to the south from this mound
lies the village of Koran, at the eastern end of the great
mound of the old city. Close to the south of the village
there are the levelled remains of some former brick ruins,
of small extent, now called Sameka Than, and on this spot
there are red clay figures of elephants placed.

About i^ioo feet to the south of the site of the old
town, and on the south side of the old river bed, there
are eight small mounds of 'brick, of which the two most
Avesterly ones of the group are pretty high, and may possibly
be the remains of stOpas. Close to the south of these
small mounds of brick, there is a narrow and nealy dry bed
of a small lake, which is called the “ Harin^ya TAl.” At
the western end of this small lake bed, there is the village of
Chanduwa, and to north of the village there is a small mound
of ruins.

Lastly, on the western edge of the great Dih, or site of
the old city, there is a somewhat conical-shaped mound of
brick with a lingam on the top of it.

There are now three ancient wells on the top of the great
Dih, two on the south-western part of it and one on the
north-eastern-part of it ; but there are said to have been
formerly a great many more ancient wells which are now filled
up and obliterated.

It will be observed that Huen Thsang states that
the stupa of relics at RAmagr^Lma was nearly 100 feet
in height, and it may, therefore, probably have been about
80 or 90 feet in actual height; while the isolated mound
of brick ruins which stands to the north-west side of Korau
Dih was certainly less than 15 feet in height when last
seen. If, therefore, Korau Dih is the site of RAmagr;§ima,
and if this isolated mound of brick ruins is the remains of the
famous relic stCipa, then it must have lost at least about 70
feet of its height. '

222

report of tours in the

On the north-eastern bank of the '' Bar-ka-Tdl,'' and at a
short distance to the south-west of the village of Baisnkhiya,
there is a small mound of ruins. Lastly, about 300 feet to
the west from the village of Baisukhiya, there 'is ^ (or was
lately, when last visited) an erect stone statue, which had lost
the head. The height of the statue, when last seen, was

about 2-^ feet. . t 1 • r t

Now, it will be seen from the account I have given of the

two preceding ruined sites, that I have apparently not been
able to find any recognizable trace of the great “ shipa of
relics'' of Rdmagrdma. Here, then, is a case in which a
famous stupa, nearly 100 feet in height, would seem to have
been totally destroyed 1

Before proceeding to a new subject, I would wish to make
a few remarks and suggestions concerning the Lan-mo of
Huen Thsang, which has- been identified with the R^ma-
grama of Buddhist traditions. This identification is, at most,
a mere conjecture, and not a certainty ; and we have not in
reality any absolute proof whatever of the identity of the
two places. It is, therefore, just possible that the Chinese
compound " Lan-mo" may indicate some other place bearing
a different name.

It will have been seen, at the commencement of my
remarks in consideration of this particular subject, that I had
at first proposed to identify a mound of ruins, called “ Koraun
Dih'P with the “ Lan-mo" of Huen Thsang. '

Now, the bed of an ancient river runs past Koraim Dili,
and the name of this river is by some called “ Rasdrip and
by others '‘Rangili." But the latter, the “ Rangili," appears
to have been the more ancient name ; and it was the first
name that I heard. Huen Thsang calls the place "Lan-mo^'
and I think this may simply be a Chinese equivalent for
“ Rang-mau'' which would mean the point, or promontory,
on the Rang river ; and Rang-mau would be a very natural
contraction for Rengili-mau.

Again, the name of the place is generally pronounced with
a nasal termination, as “ Koraung Dili " and I think that this
may really stand for “ K or -Rang DihP which would mean
the site on the edge of the Rang river, and which would,
therefore, have much the same meaning as Rangmau, the
promontory on the Rang river. Hence Ragg-mau would be
synonymous with Kor-Rang \ and I believe Rang-mau to ' be
the real origin of the “ Lan-mo" of Huen Thsang.

CENTRAL DOAB AND GORAKPUR IN 1874-75 & 1875-76. 223

25.— MANEYA.

Prince Siddh^rta, who was destined to be afterwards
known as Buddha, becoming dissatisfied with his mode of
life, decided to separate himself entirely from it and all
its belongings, and to become an ascetic. He accordingly
quitted his palace, at KapilavasUt^ during the night, riding on
a favourite horse, and accompanied by a single faithful attend-
ant, named Chandaka.

The direction in which the Prince and his attendant
travelled, would appear to have been about east-south-east.
After some time they reached a river called either Avami,
or Atiomaf at a place called “ Maneya,'' in a district called
Anuvameyaf^ and there the Prince leaped his horse across
the river j and having arrived on the further side of it, he
sent his attendant and horse back to Kapilavastii^ and then
proceeded on his pilgrimage alone.

Now the identification of this place, Maneya, is of im-
portance, as the distance and position of several other places
further eastwards are dependent on it. According to the
most reliable authorities, Maneya^ or the river at which it was
situated, would appear to have been about 42 miles distant,
by road, eastwards, from Kapilavastu.

. I am happy to be able to state that Maneya still exists ;
but the name is mis-spelt in the maps as “ Mheneeay This
Mheneea^' or Maneya, is situated about 34 miles direct
to the east-south-east from Blmila Dth, or Kapilavastu,
but in travelling by road it would be about 40 miles ; and
It is about 6" miles aVrect, cue east, irom Koran,
which I have identified with RAmagrima. Huen Thsang
makes the distance from Rdmagrdma to the Anoma river
loo //, or about i6f miles, which is just about 10
miles too much in exaggeration of the real distance, if
we identify Rdmagrdma with Korau Dih; for the direct
distance from Korau to the bank of the river, beyond
Mheneea, or Maneya, is about 6 miles. But if we identify
Rdmagrdma with Wardi Dih, then the distance from Warai
to Mheneea, or Maneya, is about 15 miles direct, which
agrees with Huen Thsang’ s account.

The old town of Maneya is situated about two-thirds of
a mile to the south-easi: from the present village ; and here
there is a mound of ruins. The direct distance of this mound
of ruins from Korau Dih, or Rdmagrdma is about 65 miles,
while it is about 16 miles in distance from Warai Dih.

REPORT OF TOURS IN THE

224

But Mheneea, or Maneya^ is not situated on the Am
river, which has iDeen supposed to be the Anoma; but it is
situated on the right, or west, bank of a tributary or feeder .
of the Amiy called the “ Khudna^'^ or “ KJnidawd nadi”
which joins the Ami river about a mile and three-quarters to
the south of Magliar. Now the name of the river ” Khiidawd ”
may either be a Hindi corruption of the Sanskrit hshud^’a
meaning “ small,” which would agree with the Sanskrit
avajjii, “inferior;” or, if the name of the river be written Kudua,
or Kudwa, it might be connected with the Hindi verb
kddua, “ to leap,” and would thus mean “ the river of the
leap,” which would refer to the fact that Prince Siddhartha
leaped across it with his horse. The distance from the '
Khudua nadi at Maneya, to the nearest part of the Ami
nadi, just below Maghar, is about 5 miles ; but I have al-
ready stated that the two rivers unite about a mile and
three-quarters to the south of Maghar.

If the ancient name of this KhuduS. nadi was “ Anoma,”
then it is simply a nearly synonymous equivalent for the
name of Maneya; for, in Sanskrit, andvama means “without in-
feriority, superior, respectable;” and 7 n dny a mQdins “honorable,”

“ respectable ;” and therefore to call the river “ Anavama,” or
“ Anauma,” would be equivalent to calling it the Manya,
Maniya, or Maney^, river. The local pronunciation of the
name of the present village of Maneya (the “ Mheneea” of
the maps) sounds, like “ Mainiya,” or “ Mehniya,” or “^Mai-
neeya,” and therefore the tract of country situated- along the
river of “Maineya” would be called in Sanskrit Anu-maineya,
which may be the origin of the Anuvaineya of the Buddhist
traditions.

The old town of Maneya is situated less than a mile to the
south-east from the present village ; and on this site there is a
pretty large mound of ruins. This is best known, locally, under
the name of “ Tam^swar Dih,” because there is a famous
lingam of Maha-deo, under the name of “ Tameswar N4th,”
on the mound. There is also a large square-shaped tank
on the mound, which is called “ Tameswar Sagar. ” Now
“ Man” is a name of the Lingam, or Phallus ; and which may,
therefore, possibly be the origin of the name of “ Maneya.”

There are also some traces of ruins a short distance to the
east of Tameswar Dih, at a small village which is inhabited

jogis. This is probably the village which is marked in
the maps under the name of “Jukka,” about a mile to the
south-east of the village of Maneya (the “ Mheneea ” of the
maps).

CENTRAL DpAB AND GORAKPUR IN 1S74-75 & iS 73 - 7 <). 225

The KhuduA nadi is evidently the remains, or bed, of an
ancient river, which was formerly much larger, or a more full
and more permanent stream than it is now } but the main
course of the supply of water has shifted further westwards,
towards a new channel, called the “ Katnaya nadi,” which
now flows at the distance of about 2h miles to the westwards,
running past Harharpur, and now joins the lower Kuano river,
opposite a village called Padri, 4 miles to the south of Har-
‘harpur. But further north, where the road from Basti to
^Maghar crosses both the Katnaya and the Khudu&, there is
another intermediate channel, or water-course, which lies
about half-way between the KatnAya and the KhuduA.

As it is well known that the tendency of all rivers which flow
from north to south is to shift westwards, on account of the
motion of the earth round its axis, from west to east, it
is evident that the Ami river, which flows past Maghar,
cannot possibly be an old bed of the Rapti, which flows, fur-
ther eastwards, past Gorakhpur ! But the upper part of the
Ami, just above Maghar, may be looked upon as the primitive,
or original, bed of the KhuduA nadi . the Khudua may be
looked upon as the ancient bed of a stream which cuts the
nalla, which runs past “ Oonta ” (Unta), “ Boojinee” (ICljni), and
” Jugdeespoor” (Jagdispur) ; this latter nalla may be looked
upon as an old bed of the Katnaya river : and the Katnaya
is really fed from a large lake, near “Oomruh” (Umrah),
which originally formed part of an old channel of the Kuano
or Kuani river, which must at some former period have run
further eastwards, to beyond the village of “ Kopal,” to the
south-east of BhAnpur Thana, before it tjjrned southwards ;
and even now the old course of the river can be traced in that
direction and when flooded during the rainy season, the
water fills this part of the old bed to the south-east of Kopal,
and then breaks out down south-wards into the two channels
which lie respectively on the west and east of ” Oomruh,” or
Umrah.

^ The Rapti, also, like all the other rivers which run in a
similar direction, has evidently been encroaching westwards;
and the great lake called the Bakra Tal , or Budaneh TAl,
was originally formed by the Rapti breaking ground in a
south-westerly direction, which is said to have swamped and
overwhelmed a great ancient city, the ruins of which are sup-
posed to be buried in the lake. It is just possible that it may
have been this story which the .Ceylonese chroniclers got
' hold of and transferred to RAmagrAma, when they stated
VOL. Xlf. P

226

REPORT OP TOURS IN THE

that the stiipa of relics at Ramagrama had been washed
away by a river. And it is, therefore, a somewhat remark-
able coincidence with this, that the direct distance from
Bhuila, or Kapilavastu, to the Bakra TM, is just about
33^ miles east; while Fa-Hian makes the distance from
Kapilavastu to Rdmagr&ma 5 yoyanas, or about 35 miles
east, and Huen Thsang makes it 200 It, or about 33J miles
east.

I have not as yet been able to carry my explorations any
farther east than" Maneya,” and therefore the following
sites have still to be discovered and identified, namely ; —

I. — The stupa of " Chandaka-nirvattana,” or “ Chandaka’s
return,” which marked the spot where Prince Siddhdrta
dismissed his attendant Chandaka and his horse after he had
crossed over to the eastern side of the Anoma river.

Now, tlie distance of 100 It, or i6| miles, from Rdmagrdma
eastwards, given by Huen Thsang, was evidently calculated
to this stupa of “ Chandaka’s return,” and not to Maneya, or
the Anoma river, at all. I would, therefore, be inclined to
.identify the site of the Chandaka-nin’’atana stupa with a place
called " Chandbhari,” the " Chund baree” of the maps,, which
is situated on the east bank of the Ami river, 12 miles .direct
to the east-north-east from Korau Dih, which I have identi-
fied with Ramagrama, and 7^ miles to the north-east from
Maneya.

II. — At some moderate distance to the east of the Chan-
daka-nirvattana stupa, there was a second smalb stupa raised
on the spot where Prince Siddharta took off his royal gar-
ments, made of the fine cloths of Kasi (Ban^ras) , and ex-
changed his dress with that of a hunter (who is fabled
to have been Brahma). This stupa was called “ Kasdya-
grahan,” I would be inclined to identify this site with a village
called, “ Bhita,” which means " the mound,” which is situated
just 3 miles due east from Chanbhari.

HI. — Lastly, at a moderate distance (perhaps to the north-
east) from the Kas^ya-grahan stupa, there was a third stupa,
called the " Chuda-mani stupa,” or " Chuda-pati-grahan,”
which marked the spot where Prince Siddhdrta cut off his
hair locks, called " chuda'' I would be inclined to identify
this site with a village called “ Chudrao,” which is situated
about 4 miles to the north-north-east from Bhita.

If I am right in my identification of “ Chudrao,” the
further onward course of Prince Siddharta,. or Buddha, south-

CENTRAL DOAB AND GORAKPUR IN 1874-75 A 187576 227

eastwards from thence, must have been by way of “ PAti" (the
" Patee” of the maps), Ghasand, and Gorakhpur.

The only other alternatives that I am at present able
to offer, in place of the conjectural sites which I have pro-
posed above, are the following : It is just possible that, after
crossing the Khuduwa Nadi, or Anoma, at Maneya (or
“ Mheneea"), Buddha may have gone, by the old road,
straight to Maghar, and there crossed the Ami Nadi, and
from thence he may have gone due eastwards by way of the
present ^villages of Koos-Powal and “Bhetee,” or Bhiti ; and
in that case the stupa of Chandaka’s return may have been
at Bhiti (the “ Bhetee” of the maps) ; and the stupa which
marked the spot where Buddha exchanged his garment of
KAsi cloth with those of a hunter may have been at Kayssho-
koora, 3 miles to the east-north-east from Bhiti (Bhetee) ;
and the stApa of the cut hair may have been at the village
of Judean, about a mile and a half to the south-south-east
from Kayshokoora ; and from the last-named place, Buddha
would have gone (as in the other case) due east to Gorakhpur

From the last-named stApa of the “ cut hair," the Chinese
travellers proceeded in a south-easterly direction to a stApa
which was raised by the people of an ancient town, who were of
the Moriya tribe, to contain the charred ashes of Buddha^s
funeral pyre. Fa-Hian makes the distance from the “ stupa
of the cut hair” to the “ashes stupa” 4 yoyanaSy or only
about 28 miles, while Huen Thsang makes it 180 or 190 //, or
from 30 to 32 miles ; but as the distances given by the Chinese
travellers were the road distance in travelling, the actual direct
distance could not have been much over 25 miles, and there-
fore it is about at this distance that we must look for the
“ ashes stupa.”

General Cunningham has identified the ruins of an ancient
city named “ Sahankat,” somewhere about a mile and a half
to the north-west of “ Rudrpur,” as the site of the city of the
Moriyas, who built the “ ashes stupa ” But the distance is too
great for the “ashes stupa,” if “Chudrao” be the site of the
stupa of the cut hair, as Rudrpur is 40 miles to the south-
east from “ Chudrao, ” and therefore the distance of Sahankat
cannot be less than 35 miles. Consequently, in that case, the
“ashes stupa” must have been at some considerable distance
to the north-west of Sahankat

On the other hand, if the stApa of the cut hair was
somewhere about the village of Judean, near Kayshopoor,
then Rudrpur is 32 miles distant to the south-east from Judean,

228

REPORT OF TOURS IN THE

and therefore the " ashes .stupa” would have to be at least
about 4 or 5 miles to the north-west of Rudrpur, or some 3 or
4 miles to the north-west of Sahankat.

The Burmese and Ceylonese chronicles make the “ ashes
stupa ” to have been situated in a forest of pipal trees ;
while, according to Tibetan authorities, it was situated in a
forest of Nyagrodha trees. But Huen Thsang, who visited
the spot himself, states positively that the “ ashes stupa ”
stood in a ^'forest of Nyagrodha trees.”

Now, the common Hindi name of the “Nyagrodha tree”
is bargad, or bai ' ; and at the distance of about 25 miles
to the south-east from Chudrao, or about 22 miles to the
south-east from Judean near Kayshokoora, and about 12 miles
to the south-east of Gorakhpur, and about 10 miles to the
north-west of Rudrpur, there are still the remains of a forest
of bar trees ; and in this very locality there are three villages
all named after the bar tree, namely “ Barhehi,” “ Barrehi,”
and “ Barliaira.” It appears to me, therefore, that the “ ashes
stupa,” must be looked for in the neighbourhood of these
three villages, which are distinguished by the name of the
“ Bar ” tree, which represents the Sanskrit Nyagrodha, about '
10 miles to the north-west of Rudrpur, or about S miles to
the north-west of the ruins of Sahankat.

INDEX

AgheaTAl, to south west of Dhuila

US. *92

Alldr, an ancient town on the
Ganges . . . . . 2 ?

Ahirpura mound, at Indor Khera . 79

Anoma River ... 223

Arrow vvcll, or Sara Kupa . . 187

Atroha mounds, near Bnuila . 149

B

Baber’s Masjid at Sambhal . . 24

Bajera Khera, an ancient mound . 7

Bhuila, the ancient Kapilavastu . 82

^11 1 ■ ■ description of . . .112
■ — ■■ ancient sites around . . ill
Bhuda-dih, the mound of Bhuvla 142

C

Coins, IndcvSc3thian and others,
at Saigarh ... ro

Coins, C>ld Hindu, found it Indor
Khera . . 40

Coins, Old Hindu and IndoScj-
thian, at Bhuih . 165

G

Gohana Khera, an ancient mound 3

H

Hathigadhe, "the Elephant Pit” 159

I

PiC«

JnlMi Oasbah, an ancient mound 12

K

ICnnaka Muni, his birth place . 184
ICapilavastu identified with Dhuila 82
— ■ - dcscnption of site . loS

. - ancient sites m neigh.

bourhood of . no
Khemrdjpur or Kshemavati . 182
Roll, the birth place of Mdyft

Devi 191, 211

Koli, or V^ighrapura, identified
with Vardha Ksnetra , .212

Kot, a mound of rums to north of
Bhuila .... 155

Kundanpura mound at Indor
Khera . . 67

Kuraon dih identified with Rama
grAma . . 217

I.

I Akhanu or Lakhno, ancient
mound . , i

f umbmi Garden . 189, 195

M

Majhora River . , 189

Maneya, where Prince Siddhartha
leaped his horse over the Anoma
River , . , ,

Masjid at JalAli Oasbah
Jami at Mmbhal
Massacre of Sakyas, site of .

. 223
. 14

24
. 172

Indor Khera or Indrapura . .

■ Pottery , , .

— .1 Terra cotta figures

■ Various other relics
Inscription on JAmi Masjid at

Sambhal

Inscription of Skanda Gupta on a
copper plate found at Indor
Khera

36

47

48
5*

24

38

N

Nagar Khas, an ancient town
Nagana Khera, an ancient mound
Naka lal, at Bhuila .

Nanwa TAl, near Bhuila ,

Nan or Nai, an old site, 4 miles
to south of S Ankara
Nilanti, a ruined town

84

9

146

* 5 *

22

12

230

INDEX.

Oil, River of 189

P

Pras-dih, a mound near Bhuila 149, 153
Pindari-dih, near Bhuila . . 153

R

R 4 magrama identified with Kur-
aon-dih ..... 2,17
Ranipur-dih near Bhuila . . 154

Rowai River or Rohini . . . 189

River of Oil . . . . .189

S

Sahegarh, or Saigarh, an ancient

mound 9

SMtyas, site of massacre of . . 173

Sambhal, an old city ... 24

Sankara, a very ancient place on
Budh Ganga . . . . i 5

Page

Sara-Kupa, or Arrow well . . 187

Seal, crystal, of. Greek workman-
ship from Indor Khera . 45

Shadow of Tree stood still, site of 175
Statue of Vishnu at Kundanpura 69
Stupa where Buddha saw his
father . . . . . 158

where Prince Siddh&rtha

contended in archery . . . 158

T

Temple of Ambika Devi at Ahir 34

of Ambikeswar at Ahar . 35

Tuksan, a large ruined mound . 2

V

Vaidyapura mound at Indor
Khera . ... . .80

Vyaghrapura, or Koli, biith-place
of Maya Devi* . . . .121

Gov I* Central Prcbs.— Ko. 20 H. R, 5. A.—

INDOR-KHERA.

o Chomda^isv

INDOB^^KMERA \y>''

V7 \

\ Xr

\ ^ fjcnan

So^TtV \® )

'la

^Rajor

\16 Miles to 1 loch

utb©4t»phed M me 8arr«jor Oenerel ■ Offlce CaleoUi Febniaiy IS

G E 3

loTeet

aifBvw III

A. o I., Ottatfj I

\0L 7II.

N A G R A

PLATE XIII.

IBit'pur

Thana

N AORA-DIH
the BiTtb-pl&ce of
ERAEUCHANDA

TifjtA

VomjiA

VOL XII

BHUILA TAL.

PLATE X

A. C Xm CuT!e7to del.

liUbotnpliet et Uie SorreTerOea^

O'See Ce-caUa Ui

VOL 7JJ

N A GR A

PLATE Xm.

rfAG EA- 0IH
the Birth-place of
XEAXOCHAKDA

Khsgurapur

TotjJc Mi>vnJ(^

VOL xn.

K 0 RC N -D I H

PLATE XIY.

5;„qJ

Bhagwanpur

A Cuamai^uo M

L thojraphea »t tb* BurreTO Oen«r»l a 0S5ee raJcutU Februuy Isso